Harry Reid: “Today, I rise with Senators Burns and Ensign to introduce a bill that extends the same protections enjoyed by the motor…”

“Today, I rise with Senators Burns and Ensign to introduce a bill that extends the same protections enjoyed by the motor fuel industry to the lubricant industry. I have heard from a constituent in Nevada that his franchise agreement to sell lubricating oils to car dealers in Las Vegas was arbitrarily canceled with 30 days notice. In essence, he had thirty days to convert all of his customers to a new brand. This seem grossly unfair and, in fact, if the product sold by my constituent were gasoline or diesel fuel rather than lubricating oil, it would have been illegal. I have been made aware of similar terminations or non-renewals in other states. Without equal protection under the law, lubricant franchisees are vulnerable to predatory cancellation by their suppliers. This situation is exacerbated by recent mergers and acquisitions in the petroleum industry.”