Ryan's Fuel Legislation Passes House, Bill Addresses Soaring Prices, Reduces Boutique Fuels with Six-Fuel Federal Slate
Ryan's Fuel Legislation Passes House, Bill Addresses Soaring Prices, Reduces Boutique Fuels with Six-Fuel Federal Slate
October 7, 2005
Bill Also Encourages Construction of New Refineries, Requires FTC Investigation of Gas Prices in Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation that would build on the progress made in the energy bill signed into law this summer by calling for a six-fuel slate to shrink the number of boutique (highly specialized) fuels and streamline the nation's fragmented gasoline system - legislation that First District Congressman Paul Ryan has fought for over the past several years to provide relief to Wisconsin drivers.
Ryan, a member of the Gas Price Task Force, co-authored the reduction of boutique fuels as part of this legislation, in order to improve flexibility and prevent avoidable fuel shortages and the price spikes that accompany them. In addition, boutique fuel reforms are needed to bring competition into the marketplace so refineries that currently produce unique fuels will not have the leverage to price fuels artificially high at the expense of the consumer. The bill also includes other provisions to address soaring gasoline prices, such as encouraging the construction of new refineries to increase supply, promoting new pipelines, and creating federal penalties for price gouging when natural disasters occur. The measure, H.R. 3893, passed the House by a vote of 212-210 and awaits action in the Senate.
"This summer's energy bill contained our legislation to begin the project of simplifying our gasoline system to help prevent fuel shortages and price spikes. Today's legislation finishes the job by prescribing a federal fuels list of six gasoline and diesel fuels, instead of the current cobbled-together patchwork of many specialized blends. Standardizing our gasoline system must be part of the solution to skyrocketing prices. It will give us the flexibility we need when there's a supply emergency and reduce the ability of refineries that produce boutique fuels to manipulate the marketplace," Ryan said. "Clean air and affordable gasoline can go together, but we need to move ahead with common-sense reforms to make it happen."
http://www.house.gov/ryan/press_releases/2005pressreleases/10705fuel.html