US Presidency
1975

February, March, April, May, as of now, the Congress has done nothing positive to end our energy dependence. On the contrary, it has taken two negative actions: the first, an attempt to prevent the President from doing anything on his own, the second, to pass a strip mining bill which would reduce domestic coal production instead of increasing it, put thousands of people out of work, needlessly increase the cost of energy to consumers, raise electric bills for many, and compel us to import more foreign oil, not less. I was forced to veto this freeborn bill last week because I will not be responsible for taking one step backward on energy when the Congress will not take one step forward on energy. The Congress has concentrated its attention on conservation measures such as a higher gasoline tax. The Congress has done little or nothing to stimulate production of new energy sources here at home.