Protecting Consumers at the Pump
I am proud to say that one of my first acts as your elected representative was to co-sponsor and vote for H.R. 6, the Clean Energy Act. I am as concerned as you are about the rising cost of gasoline at the pump. Supporting the development of clean energy technologies will help alleviate the problem of rising gasoline prices while simultaneously helping keep our environment clean.
Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles will help improve our air quality, decrease our dependence on foreign oil, and help ease the pinch at the pump. Clean Energy is a vital issue in our country and especially important to our district. Awarding tax incentives to individuals who take responsibility by making their homes and vehicles energy efficient is an important step toward ensuring that our country becomes energy independent. Although there is still a lot of work to be done, I am confident that we can reduce the price of gasoline at the pump, while pursuing clean alternatives. In Congress I have cosponsored H.R. 656, which would require higher standards of automobile fuel efficiency with the goal of reducing the amount of oil used for fuel by automobiles in the United States by 10 percent beginning in 2017.
I hear from working families all over my district that gas prices are too high, but at the same time we see the oil company executives taking home record breaking bonuses. The Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act, of which I was proud original sponsor of, would give the Federal Trade Commission the explicit authority to investigate and punish those who artificially inflate the price of energy.
The Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act would provide immediate relief to consumers by giving the FTC the explicit authority to investigate and punish those who artificially inflate the price of energy. The bill would impose tough criminal penalties of up to $150 million for corporations, and fines of up to $2 million plus jail sentences of up to 10 years for individuals.
If you have been the victim of price gouging, report it to the U.S. Department of Energy here