Congressman Sam Graves heads back to Washington today as part of Republican lawmakers’ efforts to force a House vote on more energy exploration.

Mr. Graves, speaking in St. Joseph on Monday, criticized the Democratic majority’s position as self-limiting when it comes to drilling for oil and natural gas.

“We’ve got to increase supply to bring the (pump) price down,” the GOP legislator said. “I don’t know why they want to limit this.”

Mr. Graves spoke to the media outside the Fill-Up Guys convenience store on South U.S. Highway 169. His appearance was aimed at building pressure on Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call that chamber back into session for a vote on energy legislation.

While Congress remains out of session during August, a revolving group of Republican representatives is occupying the House floor to call attention to their drilling demands.

Today, Mr. Graves’ turn comes up.

In addition to pushing legislative points, the lawmakers recognize the value of energy action, and the curse of inaction, as the fall campaign approaches. Neither Republicans nor Democrats want to absorb voter blame for pump prices $1.24 a gallon higher than the time of the last congressional election.

The campaign of his re-election opponent, Democrat Kay Barnes, issued a statement Monday saying she agreed Congress needs to get back to work immediately.

Steve Glorioso, the Barnes spokesman, said, “Given Graves’ record of siding with oil and gas companies after taking $63,000 of their money and voting against alternative energies for the last eight years while consumers paid the price, Northwest Missourians might be better off if he stayed at home indefinitely.”

Over the weekend, Ms. Pelosi announced she would consider offshore drilling as part of an energy package. Mr. Graves warned this could be part of a “shell game” that leaves out critical areas for exploration.

Republicans, he said, want a vote that specifically lifts the moratorium on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and on the outer continental shelf. “They’re for drilling in places where it’s already being drilled,” Mr. Graves said of the Democrats. “We want drilling where it’s easy.”

Ken Newton can be reached

at kenn@npgco.com.