Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Posted on Tue, May. 25, 2004

Kucinich, Democrats call on Bush to take steps to reduce gas prices

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Seventy-five U.S. House Democrats, including five from Ohio, called on President Bush on Tuesday to take several steps to combat rising gasoline prices.

The Democrats claim in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that recent mergers between several large oil companies could have set the stage for price gouging practices, and they asked Bush to investigate.

"There is substantial evidence that anticompetitive practices by domestic corporations - made possible by recent mergers - are partly to blame for high gasoline prices.

"We believe only an increase in government oversight can restore the transparency and accountability consumers need," the Democrats said in a letter sent to Bush.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, who led the effort, said the president should take six steps to ensure lower gas prices, which included requiring oil companies to store more gas for use in high demand months, and stopping to fill the nation's petroleum reserve when prices are high.

Jim Morrell, a spokesman for the White House, said the president is...(Full Story)

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