SCHAKOWSKY: BUSH ADMINISTRATIONS MISSTATEMENT OF THE DAY RISING GAS PRICES

April 5, 2004
Press Release

APRIL 5, 2004

SCHAKOWSKY: BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S MISSTATEMENT OF THE DAY -
RISING GAS PRICES

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) issued today's "Bush Administration's Misstatement of the Day" on the rising cost of gas prices.

As a candidate for President, then Governor Bush clearly articulated what he would do to convince the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) "to open up the spigot." Governor Bush said:

  • "I think the president ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say: 'We expect you to open your spigots' .The president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price. And if, in fact, there is collusion amongst big oil, he ought to intercede there as well." Financial Times, February 2, 2000
  • "I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply. . Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot." New York Times, June 28, 2000
  • "We're dependent upon crude. . I would hope the administration would convince our friends in OPEC to open the spigots." Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2000
  • "I think Americans ought to be asking, 'Where's all the capital we earned overseas after defending some of our OPEC nation friends?'" Associated Press, March 20, 2001
  • "Well, we've got good relations with a lot of members of OPEC. If the president does his job, the president will earn capital in the Middle East, and the president should have good standing with those nations. It's important for the president to explain, in clear terms, what high energy prices will not only do to our economy, but what high energy prices will do to the world economy." CNN, January 26, 2000
However, gas prices have risen over 11% since President Bush took office. And following last week's announcement by OPEC to cut oil production by 4%, White Press Secretary Scott McClellan told the Associated Press that the President Bush had not telephoned OPEC leaders about their decision. (Associated Press, "No new 'jawboning' by Bush as OPEC cuts production," 3/31/04)

Schakowsky said, "America deserves better than what they have been offered by President Bush. President Bush must finally follow through on this campaign promise and immediately call on OPEC to increase supplies. For our long term energy strategy, we must invest in clean energy and technology and increase CAFÉ standards so that cars can use less gas and so that consumers can save more. That is the only way we will truly reduce our dependence on foreign oil." (Read Schakowsky's full statement from today's news conference in Chicago)