Bill Text: PA HR139 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Congress to conduct a full and complete investigation into all foreign and domestic factors affecting gasoline and diesel fuel prices in the United States.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 24-9)

Status: (Passed) 2009-04-28 - Adopted [HR139 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR139-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 997
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 139 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY HORNAMAN, BELFANTI, BOBACK, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, FAIRCHILD, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GROVE, GIBBONS, HARHAI, HESS, HOUGHTON, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MARKOSEK, McILVAINE SMITH, MOUL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PETRARCA, ROCK, SANTONI, SEIP, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, J. TAYLOR, WHITE AND YUDICHAK, MARCH 12, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 12, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Memorializing Congress to conduct a full and complete
investigation into all foreign and domestic factors affecting
gasoline and diesel fuel prices in the United States.
WHEREAS, Millions of Pennsylvanians rely on gasoline and
diesel fuel to power the vehicles that transport them to work,
school, recreation, religious services, medical treatment and
other destinations; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's economy is inextricably linked to
motor transportation; and
WHEREAS, According to the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation, this Commonwealth contains approximately 121,000
miles of interstate, State and local roads, with approximately
108 billion vehicle miles traveled annually; and
WHEREAS, Gasoline and diesel fuel prices have recently been
moving contrary to the dictates of traditional market forces of
supply and demand, as if being manipulated; and
WHEREAS, While working Pennsylvanians struggle to afford
gasoline and diesel fuel, along with basic needs of health care,
food and shelter, oil companies have enjoyed record profits; and
WHEREAS, One major oil company reported an annual profit for
2008 of $45.2 billion, or nearly $1,433 per second; and
WHEREAS, International economic experts from such authorities
as Japan's Energy Data and Modeling Center and the University of
Texas's Center for Energy Economics, and energy company
executives have agreed that excessive energy speculation
elevates energy prices; and
WHEREAS, Hearings held by the Congress of the United States
investigating the causes of record-high fuel prices failed to
produce an adequate national strategy to address the factors
controlling those prices; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Bureau of Economic
Research, the United States has been in a recession since
December 2007; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Government has injected billions of
dollars of public funds into private companies with the intent
of saving the United States economy from further decline; and
WHEREAS, The United States economy will continue to suffer if
gasoline and diesel fuel prices continue to be volatile;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize
Congress to conduct a full investigation to identify the forces
controlling gasoline and diesel fuel prices, as well as the
factors preventing the United States from recovering from the
economic damage of volatile gasoline and diesel fuel prices; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
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the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
member of Congress from Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy
and Commerce and to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, at the
following addresses:
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Chairman Henry A. Waxman
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Ranking Member Joe Barton
2322-A Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchinson
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
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