[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E399-E400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    OIL PRICE REDUCTION ACT OF 2000

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                               speech of

                            HON. MATT SALMON

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 22, 2000

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3822) to 
     reduce, suspend, or terminate any assistance under the 
     Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control 
     Act to each country determined by the President to be engaged 
     in oil price fixing to the detriment of the United States 
     economy, and for other purposes:

  Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chairman, it is well known that, for close to a year, 
countries from the OPEC cartel and other oil-producing countries have 
conspired to steal from Americans by artificially inflating the price 
of oil. It has had a dramatic effect on the life of every American and 
threatens the state of our economy. It takes more to fill our gas 
tanks, it is more costly to fly, and even grocery prices have risen 
significantly. For example, we pay an extra $10 every time we go to a 
gas station to fill our tanks. This year, increased gas and oil prices 
will cost the average family an alarming $700. In my home state of 
Arizona, higher gas prices will cost the Paradise Valley Union School 
District up to $60,000 more to bus kids to and from school this year.
  Unfortunately, the President's response has been tepid at best. 
Energy Secretary Bill Richardson recently admitted, ``it is obvious 
that the federal government was not prepared. We were caught napping. 
We got complacent.'' The Administration, which seems to have no problem 
attacking American companies they suspect of being a monopoly, refuses 
to use its current legal arsenal to sanction foreign countries that 
collude in monopolistic alliances to fleece the American people.
  Last year, I requested that Congress look into OPEC's price fixing 
scheme. And last night, Congress took a small step towards helping 
American consumers by passing H.R. 3822, which encourages the President 
to use his current authority to stop OPEC from inflating gas prices. 
But, I believe we can, indeed we must, do more.
  First and foremost we should have included a mechanism in this 
legislation to penalize countries for gouging our constituents. 
Secondly, we should have repealed the 4.3 cent gas tax that President 
Clinton and Vice-President Gore included in their tax increase package 
of 1993. And finally, we should have examined cost effective ways to 
increase domestic oil production.

[[Page E400]]

  Looking forward, we need to pursue the development of alternative 
energy sources that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. To that 
end, we should support tax credits for people who purchase 
environmentally friendly, energy efficient solar heating equipment. We 
should also support funding for research on solar, wind, biofuels, 
geothermal, and other environmentally friendly alternative forms of 
energy.
  Perhaps we will revisit this matter when our constituents are paying 
$2.50 for a gallon of gas. H.R. 3822 is a first step towards resolving 
the current crisis. But, Congress should have done more. Americans 
should not have to pay more at the gas pump, or for groceries, or to 
heat their homes, simply because we did not do enough to stop foreign 
nations from artificially increasing the price of oil. We've been far 
too passive for too long.

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