[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 45 (Friday, April 2, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3605-S3607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

SENATE RESOLUTION 329--AUTHORIZING THE SERGEANT AT ARMS AND DOORKEEPER 
    OF THE SENATE TO ASCERTAIN AND SETTLE CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF THE 
         DISCOVERY OF LETHAL RICIN POWDER IN THE SENATE COMPLEX

  Mr. LOTT (for himself and Mr. Dodd) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 329

       Resolved, Section 1. Payment of claims arising from the 
     Ricin discovery.
       (a) Settlement and Payment.--The Sergeant at Arms and 
     Doorkeeper of the Senate--
       (1) in accordance with such regulations as the Committee on 
     Rules and Administration may prescribe, consider, and 
     ascertain any claim incident to service by a Member, officer, 
     or employee of the Senate for any damage to, or loss of, 
     personal property, for which the Member, officer, or employee 
     has not been reimbursed, resulting from the discovery of 
     lethal ricin powder in the Senate Complex on February 2, 
     2004, or the related remediation efforts undertaken as a 
     result of that discovery; and
       (2) may, with the approval of the Committee on Rules and 
     Administration and in accordance with the provisions of 
     section 3721 of title 31, United States Code, determine, 
     compromise, adjust, and settle such claim in an amount not 
     exceeding $4,000 per claimant.
       (b) Filing of Claims.--Claimants shall file claims pursuant 
     to this resolution with the Sergeant at Arms not later than 
     July 31, 2004.
       (c) Use of Contingent Fund.--Any compromise, adjustment, or 
     settlement of any such claim pursuant to this resolution 
     shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate on a 
     voucher approved by the chairman of the Committee on Rules 
     and Administration.
                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 330--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
  PRESIDENT SHOULD COMMUNICATE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF 
PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES (``OPEC'') CARTEL AND NON-OPEC COUNTRIES 
  THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE CARTEL OF CRUDE OIL PRODUCING COUNTRIES THE 
 POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES IN FAVOR OF INCREASING WORLD CRUDE OIL 
           SUPPLIES SO AS TO ACHIEVE STABLE CRUDE OIL PRICES

  Mr. WYDEN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 330

       Whereas the United States currently imports the majority of 
     its crude oil;
       Whereas ensuring access to and stable prices for imported 
     crude oil for the United States and major allies and trading 
     partners of the United States is a continuing critical 
     objective of United States foreign and economic policy for 
     the foreseeable future;
       Whereas the 11 countries that make up the Organization of 
     Petroleum Exporting Countries (``OPEC'') produce 40 percent 
     of the world's crude oil and control three-quarters of proven 
     reserves, including much of the spare production capacity;
       Whereas beginning in February 2004, OPEC instituted 
     production cuts, which reduced production by 2,000,000 
     barrels per day and have resulted in dramatic increases in 
     crude oil prices;
       Whereas in February 2004, crude oil prices were around $28 
     per barrel and have steadily risen since then, exceeding $38 
     per barrel in March 2004, the highest prices in 13 years;
       Whereas the increase in crude oil prices has translated 
     into higher prices for gasoline and other refined petroleum 
     products; in the case of gasoline, the increases in crude oil 
     prices have resulted in a pass-through of cost increases at 
     the pump to an average national price of $1.75 per gallon;
       Whereas increases in the price of crude oil result in 
     increases in prices paid by United States consumers for 
     refined petroleum

[[Page S3606]]

     products, including home heating oil, gasoline, and diesel 
     fuel; and
       Whereas increases in the costs of refined petroleum 
     products have a negative effect on many Americans, including 
     the elderly and individuals of low income (whose home heating 
     oil costs have doubled in the last year), families who must 
     pay higher prices at the gas station, farmers (already hurt 
     by low commodity prices, trying to factor increased costs 
     into their budgets in preparation for the growing season), 
     truckers (who face an almost 13-year high in diesel fuel 
     prices), and manufacturers and retailers (who must factor in 
     increased production and transportation costs into the final 
     price of their goods): Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the President and Congress should take both a short-
     term and a long-term approach to reducing and stabilizing 
     crude oil prices as well as reducing dependence on foreign 
     sources of energy;
       (2) to address the problem in the short-term, the President 
     should communicate to the members of the Organization of 
     Petroleum Exporting Countries ``OPEC'' cartel and non-OPEC 
     countries that participate in the cartel of crude oil 
     producing countries that--
       (A) the United States seeks to maintain strong relations 
     with crude oil producers around the world while promoting 
     international efforts to remove barriers to energy trade and 
     investment and increased access for United States energy 
     firms around the world;
       (B) the United States believes that restricting supply in a 
     market that is in demand of additional crude oil does serious 
     damage to the efforts that OPEC members have made to 
     demonstrate that they represent a reliable source of crude 
     oil supply;
       (C) the United States believes that stable crude oil prices 
     and supplies are essential for strong economic growth 
     throughout the world; and
       (D) the United States seeks an immediate increase in the 
     OPEC crude oil production quotas;
       (3) the President should be commended for sending Secretary 
     of State Powell to personally communicate with leaders of 
     several members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting 
     Countries on the need to increase the supply of crude oil;
       (4) to ameliorate the long-term problem of the United 
     States dependence on foreign oil sources, the President 
     should--
       (A) review all administrative policies, programs, and 
     regulations that put an undue burden on domestic energy 
     producers; and
       (B) consider lifting unnecessary regulations that interfere 
     with the ability the United States' domestic oil, gas, coal, 
     hydro-electric, biomass, and other alternative energy 
     industries to supply a greater percentage of the energy needs 
     of the United States; and
       (5) to ameliorate the long-term problem of United States 
     dependence on foreign oil sources, the Senate should 
     appropriate sufficient funds for the development of domestic 
     energy sources, including measures to increase the use of 
     biofuels and other renewable resources.

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, the Reuters news service is reporting that 
Saudi Arabia, and their Foreign Minister specifically, have said in the 
last day or so they have not been contacted by the Bush administration 
over OPEC's decision to cut oil production once again. As a result, 
today I am introducing a resolution urging the President communicate to 
OPEC that oil production be increased, and I intend next week to ask 
for its immediate consideration.
  I am very troubled by the comments of the Foreign Minister of Saudi 
Arabia. In fact, what Reuters has reported is the Saudi Foreign 
Minister was asked whether the United States had expressed its 
disappointment over OPEC's cut in production and the Saudi Foreign 
Minister said at the time:

       I didn't hear from this Bush administration. I'm hearing it 
     from you that they are disappointed.

  This is very troubling. Up and down the west coast of the United 
States our constituents are getting mugged by high oil prices. We have 
to have an administration that is willing to put some heat on OPEC to 
step up oil production at a critical time, particularly as we move in 
this country to the high driving season. These high gasoline prices are 
devastating to consumers. They are going to be very harmful to our 
economy overall, particularly job production. It is consumer spending 
that is driving the Oregon economy, and if we continue to see our 
consumers shellacked with these high gasoline prices, it is going to be 
harder and harder for us to create family wage jobs and generate 
business growth.
  I am hopeful my colleagues will support this resolution I am 
introducing today and which I am going to ask for immediate 
consideration of next week. The reason I am hopeful for such bipartisan 
support is this resolution, in terms of its substance, is identical to 
one introduced on February 28 of 2000, with our current Secretary of 
Energy, our friend Spencer Abraham, as one of the principal sponsors. 
Back then it was clear our colleagues thought it was important, 
particularly with influential Senators on the other side. Then the 
Senator from Michigan, Senator Abraham, also the chairman of the 
Finance Committee, Senator Grassley, Senator Santorum, and a number of 
our distinguished colleagues were cosponsors of that legislation. The 
feeling was then it was important to put some heat on OPEC. It was 
important to make it clear it was the position of the Senate that OPEC 
boost production.
  Of course, that is what then-candidate George W. Bush said, that it 
was important to boost oil production. Yet with the comments of the 
Saudi Foreign Minister in the last day or so, I think it is very clear 
at best it is not a case of getting a full court press, in terms of 
this administration, on Saudi Arabia and on OPEC.
  I will tell you, if ever there was an administration that had some 
bargaining chips to play with Saudi Arabia in terms of boosting oil 
production, it is certainly this administration. If you look at what 
happened after 9/11, in terms of people being helped out of the 
country, various issues with respect to declassifying Government 
documents, it is very clear Saudi Arabia has been treated pretty darned 
well by this administration. If ever there was an administration that 
had some bargaining chips to play in terms of trying to get OPEC to 
increase oil production, it is certainly this administration. Yet the 
Saudi Foreign Minister has said, just in the last day, he wasn't even 
contacted by the Bush administration with respect to oil production.

  Let me also say there are some other troubling signs, and why I feel 
so strongly about the Senate next week passing the resolution I am 
introducing. When Secretary Powell was in Saudi Arabia about 2 weeks 
ago, he also had a chance to talk about the oil crunch and how it is so 
harmful to American consumers. The press release that came from the 
U.S. Information Agency--this is again another document coming from our 
Government--indicated the Secretary and the Crown Prince and Foreign 
Minister talked about a variety of subjects, terrorism and governmental 
reforms, but nothing was said about oil prices. What we have, and I 
have said this before, is OPEC is going to stick up for OPEC. OPEC is 
not going to stick up for the American consumer. If you think OPEC is 
going to stick up for the American consumer, then you think Colonel 
Sanders is going to stick up for the chickens. It is not going to 
happen. It is the job of our administration to stick up for the 
consumer, and when the Saudi Foreign Minister says he hasn't even been 
contacted, that he heard from reporters the administration was 
disappointed, that is not good enough. It is not good enough for my 
constituents where consistently we are paying some of the highest 
prices for gasoline in our country, where we faced anticompetitive 
practices like redlining and zone pricing for years. It is not good 
enough where you have a situation such as we have in Bakersfield, CA, 
where a very large refinery has been closed. They didn't even look for 
a buyer. There is a lot of oil in the area.
  The American people are entitled to some answers. They are certainly 
entitled to an administration that does what then-Governor George W. 
Bush said was important, and that was to fight for the consumer, to 
push OPEC to increase production. Instead, what we learned from the 
Saudi Foreign Minister is the administration has essentially just sat 
on its hands.
  I was following the remarks of the Senator from Kentucky a bit ago. 
He makes the point, and it is certainly one that makes sense to me, 
that what is good for then-President Clinton should be good for 
President Bush. What I say to my friend is the same principle ought to 
be applied when it comes to a Senate resolution on OPEC and high oil 
and gasoline prices.
  I hope we will have a good debate in the Senate in the days ahead 
with respect to our policy as it relates to OPEC and oil production. A 
number of

[[Page S3607]]

our distinguished colleagues were there when this resolution was 
considered earlier: Senator Grassley, Senator Santorum, our current 
Secretary of Energy, a good friend of mine, Senator Abraham. I also 
note the distinguished Presiding Officer of the Senate, Senator Chafee, 
was also a cosponsor of that resolution.
  I am hopeful we will be able to do as the Senator from Kentucky said 
and that is apply the same principle to this administration as was 
applied to the Clinton administration. Every administration ought to be 
pushing OPEC to increase oil production. We certainly ought to take 
action when the Saudi oil minister was saying he wasn't even contacted.
  I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the article 
from the Reuters news service. The title of this article is ``Saudi 
Says Not Heard From Bush Over OPEC Oil Cut.''
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

               [From Reuters News Service, Apr. 1, 2004]

            Saudi Says Not Heard From Bush Over OPEC Oil Cut

       Vienna, April 1.--Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on 
     Thursday he had not been contacted by the Bush administration 
     over OPEC's decision on Wednesday to cut crude output by one 
     million barrels per day.
       U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham told a House of 
     Representatives committee on Thursday President George W. 
     Bush had spoken to most of the leaders of OPEC nations about 
     global crude oil supplies and rising prices.
       But Abraham declined to respond to a lawmaker's question 
     about whether the president had specifically spoken to Saudi 
     Arabia, the cartel's largest member which led a push this 
     week to cut OPEC production by one million barrels per day in 
     April.
       Asked if the United States had expressed its disappointment 
     to him over the cut, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-
     Faisal told reporters:
       ``I didn't hear this from the Bush administration. I'm 
     hearing it from you that they're disappointed.''
       The Bush administration faces growing pressure from 
     Democrats to take action amid record-high U.S. retail 
     gasoline prices.
       In the run-up to Wednesday's OPEC meeting, the 
     administration abandoned its so-called ``quiet diplomacy'' 
     and instead said publicly that it was pressuring OPEC to 
     delay a production cut.
       Its request was supported by OPEC members Kuwait and the 
     United Arab Emirates, but opposed by Saudi Arabia, a longtime 
     U.S. ally.
       Abraham said Bush administration officials may have spoken 
     to Saudi officials in recent weeks.
       ``We are very disappointed with the decision (OPEC) made 
     yesterday and obviously are evaluating what we might'' do, 
     Abraham added.
       U.S. crude fell 50 cents to $35.26 on Thursday after losing 
     1.4 percent on Wednesday on news of a huge build in U.S. 
     crude inventories and the Saudi foreign minister said earlier 
     the fall justified the cartel's decision.
       ``As you have seen, since we reduced production in OPEC the 
     price went down. This reflects the veracity of the position 
     that Saudi Arabia has taken that there is an excess capacity 
     on the market rather than shortages,'' he said.

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I will be back on the floor in the days 
ahead to talk about this critical question. It seems to me what is 
coming in this country on this oil issue is a perfect storm. The 
combination of the fact this administration is unwilling to push OPEC 
over its production cuts, the fact the Federal Trade Commission is 
unwilling to do anything about these anticompetitive practices or even 
investigate this refinery closure in Bakersfield, which has great 
implications for the west coast, all of these factors are coming 
together to create what I believe is a perfect storm for the gasoline 
consumer in this country. Given that consumer spending is what is 
driving our economy right now, we cannot afford to have these high 
gasoline prices continue or, as I fear, escalate to $3 a gallon.
  We will continue to focus on the question of the Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve, swiping oil out of the private sector and squirreling it away 
into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at a time when it already has a 
very high level and national security questions are being addressed. 
But that is not the focus of my comments today. The focus of my 
comments today is every Member of the Congress ought to be very 
troubled when the Saudi Foreign Minister says he wasn't contacted by 
the administration over these production cuts.
  We ought to do as was done in 2000 when the Senate, led by a number 
of our distinguished colleagues on the other side of the aisle who 
moved ahead on a resolution to boost oil production by OPEC. We ought 
to do the same now and stand up for the American consumer.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________