House Republicans Reject Democratic Efforts to Lower Gas Prices

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REJECT DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS TO LOWER GAS PRICES
May 3, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - With gasoline prices in West Virginia remaining remarkably high, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) continues to urge the Administration to take action to solve the crisis. "This is week five of the gas price crisis in West Virginia and I am beginning to believe that the Administration has no intention of stopping the crisis and easing the pressure on the pocketbooks of hard-working West Virginians," said Rahall.

While Republicans across the Nation have touted the recently passed Energy Bill as legislation which will lower gas prices, President Bush himself said, "The bill won't change the price at the pump today." Additionally, the Administration's own Energy Department determined that the bill will do nothing to lower gas prices.

"This energy bill is a complete failure for West Virginians," said Rahall. "Not only does it fail to lower gas prices, but it also ignores West Virginia coal. My Democratic colleagues and I introduced amendments to the Energy Bill which would have helped lower gas prices and weave West Virginia coal into our energy plan. Unfortunately, these measures were rejected by the misguided Republican majority."

In efforts to lower gas prices, Democrats in Congress attempted to amend the Energy Bill to increase our energy efficiency standards and eliminate special interest subsidies. And by eliminating the giveaways to Big Oil and Gas companies, we could invest in new energy technologies, creating a cleaner, safer and more cost-efficient energy future for our Nation.

"Democratic amendments would have created vigorous oversight on oil markets to protect West Virginians from price gouging at the pump," said Rahall. "The amendments would have made more changes which would help lower gas prices, including taking needed oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This action has lowered gas prices in the past, but the Administration seems content to take no action."

Newspapers across West Virginia have reported on the high cost of gasoline. Many articles mention that the high prices will cause many families to cancel their summer vacation plans or find alternative ways to reach their destination.

"This gas price crisis continues to put a squeeze on families in West Virginia," said Rahall. "The impact is multiplied by the facts that costs of health, education and nearly all products are also on the rise, while wages are stagnant and household income is down. I am fighting an uphill battle in the Congress to change these trends and I will continue to fight on the behalf of southern West Virginia."

http://www.rahall.house.gov/issues2.cfm?id=10516