Gingrich Joins House GOP Protest To Vote On Offshore Drilling

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich joined House Republicans on floor on Wednesday, the fourth day of a GOP protest against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) refusal to hold a session and allow a vote on offshore oil drilling.

"The case is clear that if we have more supply we'd have lower prices," Gingrich said in a press conference. "The speaker, the Senate majority leader can temporarily avoid reality... Speaker Pelosi believes that going on a book tour and selling her book is a better idea than solving America's energy problem."

"There will come a vote in early September when there will be an up-or-down vote in the House... and at that point there will be a majority in the House in favor of drilling," he added before saying he was "very proud" because Republicans have increased debate about how to stem rising energy costs.

Nearly 20 Republicans went to the House to resume their speeches before an empty chamber. Rep. Mike Pence (D-IN) left the Capitol to attend to district matters; he had led colleagues since the first day of the protest on Friday, the same day Congress adjourned for the summer recess.

Wednesday's attendees included Reps. Judy Biggert (R-IL), Patrick McHenry (R-NY), Jean Schmidt (R-OH) and House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam (R-FL).

In one of several speeches that lambasted Pelosi, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) said, "Nancy Pelosi might think she is the most important person in the house...we know that the people are the most important...She cannot turn off the voice of the American people... who want more American energy."

Pelosi has dismissed the protest as a "hoax," and said drilling would only "save Americans only 2 cents 10 years from now." She sent a letter to Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) on Tuesday reiterating her call for the government to release oil from the Strategic Oil Reserve (SRP), which is currently 97 percent full.

Drilling for oil offshore is banned by a legislative moratorium adopted in 1981 and an executive order issued by former President George H.W. Bush in 1990. The executive order was lifted by President George W. Bush early last month.