Lawmakers feel pressure on gas prices

But Capitol Hill has little to offer in relief

President Bush and members of Congress are facing an uncomfortable political reality this summer: They have little to offer Americans to ease their pain at the pump.

With gasoline prices nearing or topping $3 per gallon in some cities, Bush and lawmakers would be thrilled to call for steps big and small to quickly take the pressure off motorists financially — and themselves politically. The president’s advisers cite high gasoline prices as one reason for Bush’s sagging approval ratings, while lawmakers home for the August break are feeling the heat from anxious constituents.
But the prices are an economic and political problem for which Washington has few, if any, policy remedies that would be effective or practical in the near term, according to many energy experts and elected officials.

“I wish I could say there is a quick fix, but there is not,” said Rep. Bob Beauprez, a Colorado Republican who is expected to face a tough reelection campaign next year. “Everybody is feeling the pinch.”

Washington Post