PRINTER'S NO. 1797
No. 244 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, FEBRUARY 26, 2008
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008
A RESOLUTION 1 Urging the President and the Congress of the United States to 2 take action on behalf of the citizens of this Commonwealth 3 and of this nation to control exceedingly high gas and energy 4 prices. 5 WHEREAS, United States energy use is growing twice as fast as 6 United States energy production; and 7 WHEREAS, Since 2000, natural gas prices have risen 140% and 8 oil prices have risen 107%; and 9 WHEREAS, The cost of fuel has risen 3.6% above inflation over 10 the past 15 years; and 11 WHEREAS, More than 50% of this Commonwealth's citizens and 12 58% of this nation's households utilize natural gas, forcing 13 families with low incomes to spend 10% of their annual incomes 14 on energy costs; and 15 WHEREAS, One lasting solution to this problem is to control 16 the price increases energy suppliers pass on to consumers; and 17 WHEREAS, The five largest United States refineries earned 18 $228 billion in profits between 2001 to 2005; and
1 WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 2 Pennsylvania is limited in its jurisdiction over this issue, as 3 it remains a Federal question; and 4 WHEREAS, A key component of any Federal rebate legislation or 5 any other Federal legislation addressing energy or economic 6 policy should be a mechanism to control price increases that 7 energy suppliers pass on to consumers; therefore be it 8 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 9 urge the Congress to take action on behalf of the citizens of 10 this Commonwealth and of this nation to control exceedingly high 11 gas and energy prices; and be it further 12 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 13 the President of the United States, each member of Congress from 14 Pennsylvania and the presiding officers of each state 15 legislature in the United States. B26L82RLE/20080S0244R1797 - 2 -