Boehner: GOP Will Be Here 'every Day Until She Brings Us Back'

A defiant House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Republicans will continue their floor protest on gas prices, including during both the GOP and Democratic national conventions, until they get a vote allowing more offshore drilling.

Boehner also claimed that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Democratic incumbents will pay a political price on Election Day if they don't allow such a vote.

In an inteview on Friday, Boehner said Republicans will stay on the floor "every day until she brings us back, until the Speaker brings us back. Every day."

Boehner portrayed Pelosi, who has opposed more offshore drilling throughout her career, as blocking the "will of the American people," since recent polls shows widespread support for new offshore drilling, even in areas like California and Florida, long off limits to such activities due to environmental concerns.

"You can't thwart the will of the American people. Our system of government doesn't allow it," Boehner said. "When people speak up, this place responds."

Boehner added: "One person can't stand up and just block the will of the American people. She may be trying to protest Harry Reid and Barack Obama, but the Speaker is gonna get rolled. The only question is when. And you can take that to the bank."

More than 80 Republicans have taken part in the protest sessions since it started, according to GOP leadership aides, and Boehner believes that all 199 GOP lawmakers will do so if it continues throughout the month.

The GOP revolt began last Friday as a spontaneous outpouring of anger when Democrats pushed through an adjournment resolution over Republican opposition. Roughly 75 Republicans, including Boehner, had been scheduled to make floor speeches on gas prices, but Democrats were not eager to allow the GOP to have so much floor time bashing the majority.

Boehner said he had spoken to Price, Pence and Wetstmoreland the previous night, discussing strategy for the next day's floor speeches. When the adjournment resolution passed by a one-vote margin, Republicans went to the floor to vent their unhappiness, even as Democrats turned off the lights and C-Span cameras went dark.

"It was outrageous," Boehner said of the Democratic attempt to cut of GOP floor speeches.

About 50 Republicans came to the floor that day to complain about the Democratic tactic, and the protest continued into this week, led by Reps. Tom Price (R-Ga.), Mike Pence (R-Ind.), and Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.). Buoyed by the success in gaining press coverage, and the backing they received from the conservative Republican base, Boehner and other GOP leaders have kept it going. Now Boehner says it will continue throughout August, when Washington is normally empty and members are home running for re-election.
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