Republicans Ask Oil Industry for Help With Fuel Prices

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 – After forcing through two pieces of legislation with significant benefits for the oil industry this year, House Republican leaders on Tuesday called for oil companies to return the favor by building new refineries and taking other steps to increase fuel supply and lower gas prices.

“It is time to invest in America,” said Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, who said that in a period of soaring industry profits, “we expect oil companies to do their part to help ease the pain American families are feeling from high energy prices.”
The decision by Republicans to take aim at an industry that is typically a chief ally reflected mounting anxiety among lawmakers about the political fallout from soaring fuel prices.

It came as House Republicans continued to find it difficult, on another front, to move forward with budget cuts they hoped to showcase as evidence of renewed commitment to smaller government.

NY Times