Kennedy Votes to Punish Gas Price Gouging
Democrats Vote Against Helping Minnesotans at the Pump

	Kennedy with the Teenage Republicans

St. Paul, May 4 - Congressman Mark Kennedy voted on two critical pieces of legislation yesterday to help Minnesotans with high prices at the pump. Following a similar bill from last fall, Kennedy again voted to make gas price gouging illegal. The bill now moves to the Senate where it will again wait for action.

“I voted last fall to make gas price gouging a federal offense,” said Mark Kennedy. “It’s past time for the Senate to take up this important measure. Unfortunately, the Democrats in the House prevented an important bill to increase oil-refining capacity from moving to the Senate. It’s clear they’re more interested in partisan politics than solving problems.”

The United States has not built a new oil refinery since 1976, greatly reducing our supply of gas even as refineries are operating at full capacity. Last fall, Kennedy provided the deciding vote on the GAS Act, which made gas gouging a federal offense and called for increased oil-refining facilities. The GAS Act is also awaiting action in the Senate.

“At a time when Democrats have been so anxious to attack me personally for high gas prices, it is shocking they haven’t commented on yesterday’s vote to increase refining capacity,” added Kennedy. “If the Democrats and Amy Klobuchar were truly concerned about lowering gas prices, not simply political grandstanding, they would have spoken out against the Democrats who voted against increasing oil-refining capacity yesterday. I look forward to their release later today.”

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