[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6287]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             PRICE GOUGING

  (Mr. LYNCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, today around the country we see rising prices 
for American consumers at the pump and for heating costs at home. As 
the price of gas has doubled, profits for Big Oil and gas companies 
have tripled, and while at the same time American families' incomes 
have remained stagnant.
  Instead of additional handouts to big oil companies, we need to take 
steps to keep gas prices down. Simply put, we need to crack down on 
price gouging.
  The Democrats have a good idea on this one. Congressman Stupak from 
Michigan has an anti-price-gouging bill that will not only address the 
issue of price gouging, but will also give Federal agencies the 
authority to prosecute oil companies engaged in such practices 
involving gasoline, home heating oil, and natural gas.
  That is why I urge the Republican leadership to do the right thing. 
Bring this legislation to the floor. The American people cannot afford 
to wait any longer, and this Congress needs to act.

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