SCHAKOWSKY CONDEMNS LATEST "DO-NOTHING" ENERGY BILL; BILL THAT PASSES THE HOUSE TODAY FAILS TO ADDRESS RISING GASOLINE, NATURAL GAS PRICES
OCTOBER 7, 2005
SCHAKOWSKY CONDEMNS LATEST "DO NOTHING" ENERGY BILL
BILL THAT PASSED THE HOUSE TODAY FAILS TO ADDRESS RISING GASOLINE, NATURAL GAS PRICES
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today strongly denounced the energy bill that passed the House because it fails to address the skyrocketing prices of gasoline and natural gas. H.R. 3893, the "Gasoline for America's Security Act," was initially rejected by the House when the vote was scheduled to close, but the Republican leadership held the vote open for an additional forty minutes so that they could change the outcome of the vote.Representative Schakowsky delivered the following statement today on the floor of the House of Representatives:
This bill does nothing to help us gain energy independence, to increase refining capacity, or lower prices at the pump. No Member, and particularly no one who represents the Midwest, should vote for this bill. The federal Energy Information Administration predicted that the price of natural gas would increase by 71% in the Midwest this winter. In Chicago, the average heating bill is predicted to be $1475 per household. Yet instead of addressing an impending heating crisis and protecting consumers, this bill is filled with giveaways to the same energy companies that are making record profits in the aftermath of the hurricanes.
This bill's attempt to prevent gasoline price gouging is little more than a charade - but this bill does not even pretend to prevent natural gas companies from gouging consumers. Even though natural gas prices are four times what they were in 2001, there is no mention of natural gas in the price gouging section of this bill. For natural gas suppliers and distributors, this bill is a green light to jack up the prices.
In Illinois, to qualify for LIHEAP, a family of four must earn under $29,000 a year. Because of increased energy costs, LIHEAP has covered a smaller share of a family's average heating bill over the last four years - and that share will be significantly lower this year due to these record price spikes. This winter, millions more Americans may find that they can't pay their home heating bills - not just poor Americans. What are we doing to protect them?
The Democratic substitute gives the FTC new authority to prevent and punish corporations that gouge consumers for the oil, gasoline, and natural gas they need to get to work, heat their homes and run their businesses. It is the only proposal before the House today that will address the impending heating crisis facing millions of Americans this winter.
We were unprepared for Katrina. We can't let that happen again. Members in this body are faced with a fundamental choice today: representing consumers and small businesses or big oil companies. We should not leave the American people in the cold this winter while energy companies are left with money to burn.