Slaughter Leads Congress in Effort to Lower Gas Prices, Stop Unfair Chinese Trade

Press Release

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Rules, led her colleagues yesterday in voting for lower gas prices and against unfair Chinese trade practices.

First, Slaughter voted for HR 4015, a bill that would apply countervailing duties in order to combat illegal Chinese trade subsidies. Slaughter has been working for months to pass this legislation- meeting with both Republicans and Democrats on the House Committee on Ways and Means to bring the legislation to a floor for a vote. Current countervailing duties leveled against Chinese imports, and other imports that have received unfair foreign subsidies, help to protect American businesses and the 80,000 people who work for these businesses across the country.

Slaughter said "Tens of thousands of working Americans are counting on Congress to stop illegal Chinese trade. Today's bill gives our country the authority to respond in an appropriate way. I will never hesitate to stand up for the American worker, and am proud to support a bill that will help ensure the American worker gets a fair chance to compete and win."

HR 4015 passed under suspension of the rules, and the Senate is now expected to send the bill to the President to become law.

Later in the day, Slaughter attempted to offer HR 964, the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act on the House Floor. Slaughter is a cosponsor of the legislation, which would make it illegal to take unfair advantage of a global crisis by raising gas prices. Unfortunately, the Majority denied Slaughter the opportunity to offer HR 964 to lower gas prices for American families.

Slaughter said, "Gas prices continue to rise on every family in Western New York- and they are looking to Congress for much needed relief. High gas prices mean less money for groceries, school supplies and mortgages. I urge my colleagues to join me and outlaw price gouging so that every American family is guaranteed fair prices at the pump."

Earlier in the week, Slaughter continued her efforts to lower gas prices by joining her colleagues in a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission urging action to finally rein in oil speculators, as required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Source