[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17135-17136]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           TAKE HEED REGARDING ELECTRIC UTILITY DEREGULATION

  (Mr. FILNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I returned home, like all of my 
colleagues, to my district in August. And what did I find in my 
hometown of San Diego? In a word, disaster.
  San Diego is the first area of California to fully deregulate its 
electrical

[[Page 17136]]

utility industry. The result is that in just 3 months the double and 
tripling of electrical rates by the price-gouging electrical 
generators; seniors on fixed incomes wondering whether to turn up their 
air conditioning or pay for their medicines; small businesses wondering 
how long they can hold out; hospitals, libraries, youth centers, 
schools, the military, all their budgets thrown into turmoil.
  While the State legislature has just administered a Band-Aid to stop 
the bleeding, we need stronger and longer-lasting action. I am asking 
the House today to pass legislation to roll back the wholesale rates 
for electricity in the western region and roll those back 
retroactively. Those who have gouged our consumers for more than $350 
million in the last 3 months should pay the bill for their actions.
  We need to take this action now. So, my colleagues, welcome back, but 
look closely at San Diego. We are the poster children for the nation. 
Many of my colleagues have deregulation bills in their States and we 
have deregulation bills on our floor. Deregulation cannot work when the 
basic commodity is controlled by monopolies. Take heed, Congress.

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