Steve Israel: “this morning I inaugurate energy facts versus energy fiction. Today's fact: In the spring of 2001, Vice President Cheney…”

“this morning I inaugurate energy facts versus energy fiction. Today's fact: In the spring of 2001, Vice President Cheney met with oil industry executives to develop a national energy policy. Then, before their policy was enacted the average price of a barrel of oil was about $23. This morning, the price of a barrel of oil is almost $138. The policy did not work. Then, before their policy was enacted, the average price of a gallon of gas was about $1.46. This morning, at the Commack Mobil station in my district, the price of a gallon of regular gas is almost $4.29, almost tripled. The policy did not work. I am not saying that anybody is committing wrongdoing. I am just saying that people have pursued policies that have not worked. Today we will try again to get to the President's desk Congressman Bart Stupak's anti-price gouging bill. Today we present another solution, a different idea, a better way to bring down gas prices. I urge my colleagues to support it on a bipartisan basis, I urge the other body to support it, get it to the President's desk, and let's start protecting pocketbooks rather than oil company profits.”