Bob Filner: “I just returned from San Diego where earlier this week hearings were held by the Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on…”

“I just returned from San Diego where earlier this week hearings were held by the Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on Power and Energy yesterday by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the electricity crisis that is facing San Diego where, in the last 2 or 3 months, prices have doubled and tripled for the average consumer, people have gone out of business not able to pay their bills, a tremendous drain on our economy threatening recession for our whole area. It became clear in those hearings that this crisis was not brought about by any problem with the supply and demand, as some people charged, but was pure manipulation of the market by a few profit hungry power merchants who provide and generate the electricity for the western market. Three hundred fifty million dollars was sucked out of the San Diego economy in the last 3 months, $2 billion out of the California economy. I have legislation, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that the victims of this incredible price gouging disaster are not the consumers and small business people of California but those who have made the ill-gotten gains. Please pass H.R. 5131 to help San Diego.”