Congressman Sam Farr on Gas Prices
After months of breathless debate about the Democratic primary, the spotlight is now on gas prices. During a telephone town hall last week, the price of gas was one of the top issues. So I’d like to share the three-prong plan I’m pursuing in Congress.
First, immediate action. Nothing should be taken off the table, and we should be considering emergency measures including price caps and a price freeze.
Second, address the inflated oil company profits. A bill introduced by Dennis Kucinish, the Gas Price Spike Act, would impose a windfall profit tax on oil companies, offer tax credits for fuel-efficient vehicles and authorize grants for mass transit systems. These are the types of solutions that will see results.
Finally, a long-term plan. Congress is already using its power to debate and pass laws to address the root causes of gas price instability. We forced the president to temporarily suspend sending more oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and there are more bills in the pipeline.
The GOP response? More drilling!
I have two responses. First, the Republican dream of drilling in ANWR will save us exactly one penny per gallon, and we won't see those savings for 20 years. Doesn't sound so practical to me. Second, drilling has already increased by about 66 percent since 2000, and much of the 68 million acres of federal land opened for drilling isn’t being tapped.
One thing is certain: American consumers can’t continue paying more and more for gas while oil companies keep racking up record profits.
- Sam Farr's blog
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