A US bid to ease gas prices

But the president and Congress can do little in the short term to help consumers.

NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON

So what can the US do? That’s the question roiling Washington right now. Congress is promising probes, hearings, and maybe new laws reining in windfall profits. Some lawmakers are talking about rebate checks for families. Others are calling for a lower federal gasoline tax.

Tuesday, President Bush waded into the issue, saying the administration would not tolerate “manipulation” of gasoline prices. He also ordered a temporary halt to filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to relieve pressure on crude oil prices.

Christian Science Monitor