In a move that indicates Congress’ frustration with rising gasolline prices, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that would allow the Justice Department to pursue legal action against the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries for conspiring to restrict supplies and drive up prices.
The House OPEC measure was approved 324 to 84. A similar measure, dubbed NOPEC for the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, passed the Senate last year by a 70 to 23 vote, but was tabled after a White House veto threat.
This window dressing measure is unlikely to alleviate rising oil prices and indicates how low the level of power and esteem that the United States has fallen. President Bush's was flipped-off by King Abdullah in his personal appeal to Saudi Arabia to significantly increase oil production.
It is a sad day for America when we have to resort to pleas for help from supposed allies and suing international cartels.
The House action shouldn't be too surprising considering the legal training of our lawmakers. Filing lawsuits is how lawyers respond to most problems.
Perhaps the American public should sue Congress for 25 years of dereliction of duty in their failure to enact energy legislation. How about having them spend the Memorial Day weekend working at gasoline stations in their home districts? This would allow them to see first-hand the pain the higher prices are causing. Perhaps they might even check the oil and wash the windows. No! That would be too much for a Congress that believes that appeasement should be the hallmark of our foreign policy.
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