Gas Prices: House Takes First Step on Capito's Five-Step Plan to Lowering Gas Prices

GAS PRICES: House Takes First Step on Capito's Five-Step Plan to Lowering Gas Prices
Anti-gouging legislation approved today

WASHINGTON Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today praised action taken by the House of Representatives to help lower gas prices, saying legislation passed this afternoon takes steps towards addressing one part of the five-point plan to reduce gas prices that she outlined earlier this week.

"West Virginians deserve to know that the price they're paying at the pump hasn't been inflated by someone looking to take advantage of the situation," said Capito. "The first step in the plan I outlined earlier this week was to ban price gouging. Today's legislation creates a uniform definition for price gouging, and provides strong enforcement and stiff penalties for anyone caught illegally running up the price on gasoline, diesel fuel and home heating oil."

The Federal Energy Price Protection Act (H.R. 5253) directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to define "price gouging" since existing state statues in this area have vastly different definitions and interpretations. In addition, the legislation provides for strong civil enforcement by the FTC and by states' attorneys general and criminal enforcement by the U.S. attorney general and Department of Justice.

Earlier this week, Capito outlined a five-point plan that Congress should follow to help bring relief to West Virginians suffering from the high cost of gas. Along with banning price gouging, Capito's plan also called for temporarily waiving boutique fuel regulations, temporarily waiving the tariff on imported ethanol, utilizing West Virginia coal, and expanding domestic energy exploration to include the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf off our nation's coastline.

Capito concluded, "Today's action was a good first step, but there is more we can do to help lower gas prices. I remain committed to working with my colleagues and the House leadership to ensure we do everything in our power to offer relief at the pump to West Virginians."

http://capito.house.gov/press_office/detail-page.aspx?id=161&whichone=pr