Statement by Chairman Joseph N. Mondello, New York Republican State Committee

As thousands of truck drivers from across the country travel to Washington D.C. asking for relief from soaring fuel prices, Senator Obama refuses to support a plan to help hard working American families and business.

With the average price of gas in New York State creeping even closer to four dollars per gallon heading into the busy summer driving season, families and businesses in New York and across America need relief right now.

Senator McCain’s gas tax relief plan, coupled with similar proposals at the state level from Republicans in the State Legislature, would help both families and businesses keep more of their hard earned money instead of turning it back over to the government in taxes at the pump.

The rallies and meetings by the truck drivers today underscore how higher fuel costs hurt everyone—including those who do not drive—by inflating the cost of food and other necessities that are shipped to local stores.

These sensible Republican plans will provide immediate relief for the problems people are facing every day, while longer-term solutions are proposed, researched and enacted.

Unfortunately, Senator Obama has flatly opposed the plan as a bad idea, even though he supported suspending the gas tax as a State Senator in Illinois.

This issue once again underscores that the Democrats are out of touch with the everyday problems that New Yorkers and Americans face. Every day, the problem becomes clearer and more painful; it’s time for a solution.

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