[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 5923]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ESCALATING GAS PRICES

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, as every other 
Member, I have just returned from my congressional district, which 
includes a major part of the Dallas metropolitan area, and they have 
some of the highest gas prices in the Nation.
  Recent reports revealed that gas prices have shot up nearly 25 cents 
per gallon over the past 2 weeks. In December of 2003, gas averaged 
$1.50 a gallon. Now gas is reaching $3 a gallon. While I agree that 
supply-and-demand forces are part of the reason behind the escalating 
gas prices, I also believe that price gouging is a fundamental problem.
  Congress must act and enact innovative policies such as windfall 
profit tax on the gas companies and greater investments in alternative 
fuels, fuel efficiency, even public transportation.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the Republican leadership to stop the rhetoric 
and start thinking about the real change.

                          ____________________