SGT Blog

Hearings start today on H.R. 1252, a House bill that would makegas price gouging a federal crime, punishable by 10 years in prison. There are hearings taking place now that should put a stop to this madness but of course the big oil lobbyists are fighting back hard so it’s going to take a giant grassroots push to get this insanity under control.

Below is the letter from moveon

As of yesterday, gas prices are the highest in U.S. history—we just passedthe 1981 record, even adjusted for inflation.1 Prices could reach $4.00per gallon in parts of the country, just in time to crimp summer vacation plans.As consumers suffer, the oil industry continues to reap the windfall—breakingprofit records on an almost quarterly basis. It’s outrageous!

Enough is enough. Hearings start today on H.R. 1252, a House bill that would makegas price gouging a federal crime, punishable by 10 years in prison. Speaker Pelosihas said she’ll move the bill to a vote this week—if there’s the two-thirds majority required to fast track the billthrough the process.2

Oil company lobbyists are frantically trying to stopthe bill. Your representative needs to hear from you today. Will you sign our petitionasking Congress to pass the price-gouging bill—and then send it to your friends?
“Gasoline price gouging should be made a federal crime before the summerprice increases hurt more American families.”
Sign the petition:
http://pol.moveon.org/stoppricegouging/?rc=oil_petition&id=10387-5735869-GI.aeo&t=4

Rep Bart Stupak (D-MI), sponsor of the House bill said this of his motivationto introduce the legislation:
“In April … crude oil was $7 a barrel cheaper than last year (but)gas prices were almost 50 cents a gallon higher. Clearly there’s moreat play than simply the world crude oil market.”3

In April, more than two-thirds of Americans reported that their gas bills werecausing financial crunches, with a full third saying it was having a “serious”impact on their families.4

That same month, the top two US companies, Exxon-Mobil and Chevron-Texaco, announceda combined $14 billion in first quarter profits.5

It seems like even the oil industry has gone too far this time, and it’s timeto balance the scales. The Senate passed a price-gouging measure out of committeelast week, and the House bill now has over 100 co-sponsors from both sides of theaisle.

The oil industry is nervous. They’ve sent their lobbyists to the Hill in fullforce to stop—or at least weaken—these bills, and they’re pulling outall the stops. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry front group of morethan 400 oil and gas companies, even threatened that new laws could increase gasprices more.6

Enough is enough. This summer, we can stop Big Oil from profiting at the expenseof American families. Can you sign the petitionto ask your representative to make gasoline a price gouging a federal crime now?
Sign the petition:
http://pol.moveon.org/stoppricegouging/?rc=oil_petition&id=10387-5735869-GI.aeo&t=5

Don’t forget to pass it on to your friends—this week is an historic opportunityto send Big Oil a message that we’ve had enough.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Natalie, Eli, Tom, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

Sources:

1. “U.S. gas prices jump more than 11 cents,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 21, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2595&id=10387-5735869-GI.aeo&t=6

2. “Debate on [H.R. 1252], offered by Energy and Commerce Oversight and InvestigationsSubcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich., will kick off Tuesday with a hearingin Stupak’s subcommittee. It is possible that an Energy and Commerce markup willfollow. But Democratic leaders might opt to bring the bill up to the floor undersuspension of House rules by Wednesday.”
Excerpted from National Journal’s Congress Daily,Monday, May 21, 2007

3. “Lawmaker Links Gas Prices to Investments,” Houston Chronicle, May 16, 2007 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4810598.html

4. “As Gas Prices Rise Again, Democrats Blame Big Oil,” Washington Post, May 11, 2007 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2591&id=10387-5735869-GI.aeo&t=7

5. “Lawmaker Links Gas Prices to Investments,” Houston Chronicle, May 16, 2007 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4810598.html

6. “Lawmakers’ blood pressure rises with prices at the pump,” TheHill.com, May 17, 2007 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2586&id=10387-5735869-GI.aeo&t=8

Support our member-driven organization: MoveOn.org Political Action is entirely funded by our 3.2 million members. We have no corporate contributors, no foundation grants, no money from unions. Our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. If you’d like to support our work, you can give now at:

http://political.moveon.org/donate/email.html?id=10387-5735869-GI.aeo&t=9

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.