Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005
GASOLINE FOR AMERICA'S SECURITY ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - October 07, 2005)
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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill and in support of the Stupak-Boucher substitute.
This bill does nothing to help us gain energy independence, to increase refining capacity, or lower prices at the pump. And no Member, and particularly no one who represents the Midwest, should vote for this bill.
The Federal Energy Information Agency predicted that the price of natural gas would increase by 71 percent in the Midwest this winter. In Chicago, the average heating bill is predicted to be $1,475 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 the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a family of four must earn under $29,000 a year, under that. Because of increasing energy costs, LIHEAP has covered a smaller share of a family's average heating bill over the last 4 years, and that share will be lower this year due to these record price spikes. This winter, millions more Americans may find that they cannot 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.
Mr. Speaker, we were unprepared for Katrina. We cannot let that happen again. Members in this body are faced with a choice: 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.
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