Blunt Statement on Retirement of Rep. John Peterson WASHINGTON – House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after Rep. John E. Peterson, R-Pa., announced his plans to retire from the House when his current term of service expires in 2009: “Those of us who have had the pleasure to work with John over the years know he’s a man of passion and principle – and a man of endless energy when it comes to defending the interests of rural Americans. Whether it was ensuring greater access to quality health care, promoting technical and vocational education, or his most personal cause: working to unlock our abundant reserves of clean-burning natural gas – his loyalties have always been with the hard-working people of northwest and central Pennsylvania. “It’s worth noting that when John and I first came to Congress together in 1997, crude oil was priced at $23 a barrel, a gallon of gasoline went for $1.25, and natural gas hovered around two dollars a thousand. More than a decade later, with oil in triple-digits and American manufacturers being forced overseas by spiraling natural gas costs, John’s message of responsible energy development may be more relevant and important today than ever before. “This afternoon, though, as John announces his plans to retire from Congress when this next session expires, I want to wish him, his wife Sandy, and his entire family the best in whatever challenges they decide to take on next. And in the meantime, I look forward to working alongside him in 2008.”