Pete Sessions: “energy prices are going up; gasoline prices are up. I doubt there are many families who do not spend $60 a month on…”

“energy prices are going up; gasoline prices are up. I doubt there are many families who do not spend $60 a month on gasoline. Those who commute, those who have children with vehicles, a husband and wife working may have two or three vehicles per family and not be wealthy. They may be paying $100 a month or more for gasoline. If they were paying $60 a month for gasoline 18 months ago, they are now paying over $90 a month. If they were paying $100 a month last year, they are probably paying over $150 a month this year. That is $50 a month or $30 a month, perhaps more in some families, withdrawn from the usable income of that family, money with which they no longer can buy shoes, a new set of tires for their car, to go on a vacation with their children, take the kids to a ball game, buy shoes for them to play soccer or basketball, baseball, or volley ball. That is $50 a month extra of aftertax money that American citizens had 15, 18 months ago and no longer have today. That is because the price of energy has gone up. In addition, businesses are facing those same increases. I traveled a couple of months ago with a full-time truck driver and his wife. I traveled from north of Birmingham to Clanton to Montgomery and discussed with them the problems they are facing. They are paying up to $800 to $1,000 a month extra to operate their truck.”