In August of 2006
Congressman Baird and Congressman Earl Blumenauer commissioned
the House Committee on Government Reform's Special Investigations
Division to compile a Vancouver/Portland gas price report. The
report found that our nation's out-of-date energy policies have
driven local gas prices up 97% since 2001. To read the
full text of the Congressmen's local gas price report, click
here. To read Congressmen Baird and Blumenauer's energy
plan to ease pain at the pump, click
here.
Congressman Baird
has called for a crackdown on unregulated Enron-type energy speculators
who are likely manipulating markets and driving up gas prices.
Energy speculators base their investment decisions on the potential for future problems, such as U.S. relations with Iran, rather than actual market realities. In doing so, speculators significantly affect oil and gas prices on the spot market. Compounding the problem is the fact that up to 75 percent of energy speculation is completely unregulated with absolutely no oversight from the federal government.
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Protecting
Consumers at the Pump
