[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 35 (Thursday, March 18, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H1232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE RISING COST OF OIL

  (Mr. DEFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, oil hit a new high yesterday. Prices over 2 
bucks a gallon in places in the western United States; $30 billion will 
be extorted from American consumers this year because OPEC is fixing 
prices and driving up the cost.
  Now, what is the response of the oil men at the Bush White House? A 
collective yawn and silence from the Bush administration. I guess their 
buddies in the oil industry are doing pretty well because they are 
adding on a little margin to these increases in prices.
  Now OPEC is violating the rules of the World Trade Organization. We 
have an administration that is a big fan of the World Trade 
Organization and rules-based trade. Will they file a complaint on 
behalf of American consumers because OPEC is breaking the rules? They 
have told me they will not do that.
  They are going to unilaterally disarm Americans in face of this 
attack against our economy by OPEC because some of their buddies in the 
oil industry are adding a little margin on and doing okay.

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