Congressman Henry Cuellar Supports Legislation to Bring Down Gas Prices

Press Release

CONGRESSMAN HENRY CUELLAR SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO BRING DOWN GAS PRICES

Measure could help bring down gasoline between five to 24 cents a gallon

U.S Congressman Henry Cuellar joined a majority of colleagues in the House of Representatives by voting in support of H.R. 6022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act, in an effort to reduce the price of gasoline. The bill passed the House by a vote of 385 to 25, with the Senate passing a similar provision by a vote of 97-1.

The legislation is aimed at temporarily suspending the fill of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) until the end of the year, which is a critical first step for helping America's families, businesses and the economy in dealing with the high price of gas.

"Everywhere I go, the dramatic increase in the price of gasoline keeps being the number one topic," said Congressman Cuellar. "It's time that we start providing a relief for families who are suffering daily as a result of high gasoline prices."

Filling of the SPR takes 70,000 barrels of oil off the market each day and a temporary suspension could reduce gas prices from five to 24 cents a gallon.

The SPR is an emergency oil supply located in Texas and Louisiana. It was designed to provide the federal government with an emergency oil supply during a disruption in commercial oil supplies. Currently, the SPR is approximately 97 percent fill - the highest level ever. A suspension of oil shipments will not hurt the nation's security needs.

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