[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 27, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H3622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          SIGN DISCHARGE PETITION ON COST-BASED ENERGY PRICING

  (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, last week, in California, three former 
employees of generators of electricity testified that they turned off 
their equipment at the demands of their bosses that resulted in driving 
up electrical prices on the west coast. This House should do something 
about that.
  What I urge my colleagues to do is to come to the well of the House 
and sign a discharge petition for a bill that will create cost-based 
pricing for 2 years as a short-circuit to stop the meltdown of the 
energy market on the west coast. I do that on behalf of the small 
business people who are losing their businesses today, last week, next 
week, because of the thousand percent increases in wholesale electrical 
rates on the west coast, which are unprecedented, wrong, 
unconscionable, and should be illegal.
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, finally, because we dragged 
them kicking and screaming for the last 4 months, finally did something 
a few days ago, but it is clear it is not enough. We need to keep their 
feet to the fire. I urge my colleagues to sign the discharge petition 
in the well of the House today.

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