[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 84 (Thursday, June 17, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H4294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          OIL COMPANY PROFITS

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, at the President's direction the Vice 
President presided over secret meetings with big oil, dirty coal, and a 
legion of industry lobbyists.
  In secret they wrote an energy policy that has turned this country 
into a panhandler, begging for more oil. Motorists in downtown Seattle 
will pay an extra quarter of a billion dollars, that is billion, in 
just the next 90 days because of the increase in the price of a gallon 
of gasoline. The administration will blame it all on the war. The price 
of gasoline is over $2 a gallon and the price in Iraq is 5 cents a 
gallon.
  Yes, Mr. President, it is war all right. It is war that the oil 
companies are waging against the American people with the knowledge and 
consent and assistance of the administration. Oil company profits are 
up over 300 percent for one company, 200 percent for another. We are 
waging a war all right. It is a war to get America out of the hands of 
pricing, special interests and back into the hands of the American 
people. We want our country back. November 2 is coming, Mr. Bush.

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