Janice Schakowsky: “it is Memorial Day weekend, and while gasoline prices in my district are among the Nation's highest, at well over $2.00…”

“it is Memorial Day weekend, and while gasoline prices in my district are among the Nation's highest, at well over $2.00 a gallon, in fact it was about $2.22 for regular, it still does not appear that President Bush and Vice President Cheney have any plans to bring relief to my constituents at the gas pump. While big oil is getting bigger, consumers in my district and across the country are getting gouged, and the President's energy plan does nothing to address that. Instead, the administration has proposed relief for its oil industry friends. Big oil hit the jackpot last year, thanks to consumers in Chicago and across the country that paved the way for big oil's record profits. The top oil company profits last year went up over 100 percent on the average from the previous year, combining for almost $50 billion in profits. Now Exxon Mobile is number one on the Fortune 500 list. None of us should be surprised at the give-aways big oil is reaping from this administration and the Republicans. President Bush received $2 million in contributions for his campaign, and the Republican Party received over $25 million from big oil, with Enron and Exxon Mobile giving the most. It looks like those companies made the right bet. Mr. President, I am again calling on you to persuade, in fact to jawbone, your friends in the industry to bring these prices down now.”