Wash Times: Senators urge boost in standards of fuel economy
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It seems that getting tons of calls about gasoline price gouging from their constituents may finally have awaken many in Congress that are now finally wanting to address the issue and boost the CAFE standards that auto manufacturers have to meet for the vehicles they sell.
Considering that President Bush was jawboning the issue in recent weeks (pre-Katrina), Congress is only a little late to the table. One has to wonder if they'd even be considering the issue if prices hadn't risen so dramatically over the last several weeks?!
In anycase, article below from The Washington Times provides more information. I'm sure somehow this is still all Bush's fault, though considering the education I received in my K-12 years, I can't determine how. Congress passes laws, and only Congress passes them. But again, it all has to be Bush's fault somehow.
Headline is linked.
Senators urge boost in standards of fuel economy
By Patrice Hill
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Congress should consider raising fuel-economy standards for all vehicles for the first time in 30 years in light of the gasoline shortages and huge spike in pump prices caused by Hurricane Katrina, key senators said yesterday.
"I believe we must take another look at the CAFE standards," said Sen. Pete V. Domenici, New Mexico Republican and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, referring to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules enacted in the mid-1970s but not updated since.
"We looked at that before, and it was not politically possible. I'm not sure that will be the case after Katrina," he said.
His comments came as the government reported that gas prices last week breached the $3 level for the first time on average nationwide, with the biggest increases seen in Mid-Atlantic states such as Virginia and Maryland, and in the District, where the average price for regular was $3.29 a gallon.
Republicans and Democrats both said they suspected price gouging as gasoline costs soared in the aftermath of Katrina, but they complained that the government doesn't have the ability to prevent such market abuses.
"The American people are being victimized more than any free market would warrant," said Sen. Gordon H. Smith, Oregon Republican.
Mr. Smith and other senators at a committee hearing yesterday said regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, are not aggressively pursuing price gouging and other market manipulation by energy companies reaping huge profits.
... more at linked article
Holy crap, there near the end is another looming set of hearings. Apparently the FTC is totally asleep at the switch. Damn, I don't remember Michael Brown being involved there at all. I wonder who the political appointee is that was responsible for that agency, and what their prior job was?? I'm sure some social progressives will dig up the information and start screaming that yet another incompetent Bush employee is screwing up the country by failing as a bureaucrat.
Considering that President Bush was jawboning the issue in recent weeks (pre-Katrina), Congress is only a little late to the table. One has to wonder if they'd even be considering the issue if prices hadn't risen so dramatically over the last several weeks?!
In anycase, article below from The Washington Times provides more information. I'm sure somehow this is still all Bush's fault, though considering the education I received in my K-12 years, I can't determine how. Congress passes laws, and only Congress passes them. But again, it all has to be Bush's fault somehow.
Headline is linked.
Senators urge boost in standards of fuel economy
By Patrice Hill
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Congress should consider raising fuel-economy standards for all vehicles for the first time in 30 years in light of the gasoline shortages and huge spike in pump prices caused by Hurricane Katrina, key senators said yesterday.
"I believe we must take another look at the CAFE standards," said Sen. Pete V. Domenici, New Mexico Republican and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, referring to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules enacted in the mid-1970s but not updated since.
"We looked at that before, and it was not politically possible. I'm not sure that will be the case after Katrina," he said.
His comments came as the government reported that gas prices last week breached the $3 level for the first time on average nationwide, with the biggest increases seen in Mid-Atlantic states such as Virginia and Maryland, and in the District, where the average price for regular was $3.29 a gallon.
Republicans and Democrats both said they suspected price gouging as gasoline costs soared in the aftermath of Katrina, but they complained that the government doesn't have the ability to prevent such market abuses.
"The American people are being victimized more than any free market would warrant," said Sen. Gordon H. Smith, Oregon Republican.
Mr. Smith and other senators at a committee hearing yesterday said regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, are not aggressively pursuing price gouging and other market manipulation by energy companies reaping huge profits.
... more at linked article
Holy crap, there near the end is another looming set of hearings. Apparently the FTC is totally asleep at the switch. Damn, I don't remember Michael Brown being involved there at all. I wonder who the political appointee is that was responsible for that agency, and what their prior job was?? I'm sure some social progressives will dig up the information and start screaming that yet another incompetent Bush employee is screwing up the country by failing as a bureaucrat.