Bob Menendez: “every day Americans are watching the price of oil and gas shoot up higher and higher, and are watching as it gets harder…”

“every day Americans are watching the price of oil and gas shoot up higher and higher, and are watching as it gets harder and harder to make ends meet. This week, the national average price of gasoline broke the $4 per gallon mark. When George Bush took office, gas cost just $1.46 a gallon. This dramatic increase in oil prices has brought prices for food up along with it, and American families are faced with a painful financial choice when it comes time to fill-up--do they fill up their gas tank or do they forgo a gallon of gas to buy a gallon of milk? Businesses are cutting jobs. Families have already eliminated nonessentials and are now cutting back on meals. Some Americans are even contemplating quitting their jobs because they can't afford the gas to get there. It has become painfully clear: We are in an oil crisis. And we had better start taking action to get out of this mess. Fuel efficiency, alternative fuels, and mass transit are the long-term answers that I will soon discuss, but consumers need immediate help, and the Consumer-First Energy Act will provide that relief.”