Political Quotes

“I rise to reiterate how important it is that Congress and the administration act to protect the American people from rising gas prices. I call on the Bush administration to stop its campaign of inaction on this critical consumer issue. This week the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, will vote on whether to cut their cartel's production by 1 million barrels a day. This vote comes at a time when the American Automobile Association tells us that the national average price of gasoline is the highest it has ever been. Of course, we know it is not yet the peak driving season. In California, consumers consistently pay over $2 a gallon. In my home State, it is $1.80, and in some towns, $1.85, such as Eugene and Medford. Consumers in Oregon are getting clobbered. The vote OPEC will be making comes at a time when according to the Associated Press private gasoline inventories are already down by 2.5 million barrels. The vote comes at a time when, in spite of these very low supplies, the Bush administration stubbornly persists in filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve instead of steps that I and others favor, which are to put more oil on the market. In my view, it is imperative that the United States push OPEC in every possible way not to cause further harm to our already injured gasoline market and to vote against any further production cuts.”