Source:  PRESS RELEASE, 4/22/11

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-2) released the following statement this morning from her office in Washington:

“Over the past several months, gas prices have continued to surge in North Carolina and across the country, leaving people with even fewer options as our economy tries to recover. The time has come to focus on effective energy solutions that will lower costs and produce enough resources for our economy to grow.”

“As we continue to search for new energy alternatives, we cannot ignore the vast resources at our disposal now. While fraud and corruption within the markets should be pursued aggressively, we must not turn our attention from the real cause of surging energy prices – supply. I support an all of the above energy policy, which includes both nuclear and drilling for oil and natural gas, and hope President Obama will take action to alleviate our supply burden by lifting the current ban on off-shore drilling.”

Yesterday afternoon, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the creation of a Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Working Group to focus specifically on fraud in the energy markets. The announcement, which focused on litigation and new government oversight, said little in regards to tackling the nation’s rising energy costs and dwindling supplies.