Jeb Hensarling: “I certainly regret I didn't have an opportunity to negotiate a Popsicle with the gentleman from Massachusetts. I am sure…”

“I certainly regret I didn't have an opportunity to negotiate a Popsicle with the gentleman from Massachusetts. I am sure that would have been an interesting experience; about as interesting as this experience is in debating a bill which I feel has a lot to do with feel-good politics, a bill that is particularly unworkable, I fear may lead to de facto price controls, and really takes our attention off of the challenge that we face, and that is to increase American production of American energy. As much as Members of Congress might like to do it, in over 200 years I have yet to see the ability to repeal the laws of supply and demand. And so again, I am sure the gentleman from Michigan is very sincere, and I know that he has worked on similar legislation for quite some time, but when we talk about price gouging and an emergency situation, what are we doing to bring down the price of gas at the pump today. Instead, we have a piece of legislation that is going to allow Federal regulators, bureaucrats that according to the gentleman from Massachusetts, appear to be the savior of the Nation, to tell us what is, quote, ``unconscionably excessive,'' and ``taking unfair advantage'' related to ``an energy emergency to increase prices unreasonably.''”