ABOUT

Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Enviroblog is a project of EWG Action Fund. (More. . .)

FEED

 Subscribe in a Reader

Subscribe by Email

An EWG podcast for environmental health news on the go.

TWITTER UPDATES

TIPS

Did we miss something? Email Amanda.

BLOGROLL

STAY CONNECTED

Get our monthly eNewsletter, action alerts, & environmental tips. [Privacy policy, About EWG]

Confirmed: New shower curtain smell is gross

House bill would ban BPA in food, beverage packaging

Chemical injections in Colorado

FEATURED

BPA in your body: How to minimize your exposure

Caution: These 7 household items may feminize baby boys

BPA in infant formula: This is not a call to panic

Cheatsheet: Bisphenol A

7 ways to reduce your exposure to PBDEs

Your BPA questions, answered

Ask EWG

What is "fragrance"?

Which infant formula is best?

Is there eco-friendly jewelry?

Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

Is mineral-based makeup safer?

SEARCH

ARCHIVE

select month June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004

« Energy Bill Debate Highlights Phantom Restrictions on Domestic Oil and Gas Exploration | Main | Critic of “Bottom Feeders” Got $1 Million in Farm Subsidies »

April 26, 2005

Bush Admits Energy Bill Won’t Lower Gas Prices

Despite his continuing demands that Congress send him an energy bill by the summer, President Bush has finally admitted it would take magic to make his drill-happy legislation ease gas prices.

“I wish I could simply wave a magic wand and lower gas prices tomorrow,” Bush said in a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The New York Times reports. But the bill “wouldn’t change the price at the pump today,” he said.

While lamenting his inability to help average citizens, even with a Congress controlled by his own party, Bush clearly still expects Americans to pay for benefits and incentives to oil companies. The magic wand defense is his only explanation for supporting legislation that provides an estimated $22 billion in tax breaks, incentives and potential federal aid to the oil industry—and may hike gas prices up another 3 cents a gallon for taxpayers.

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-NY, bucked the party line, calling it “a tragedy and a farce” that the House bill wouldn’t reduce oil consumption by a single barrel by 2020. Indeed, Republicans touted the energy bill as improving conservation and alternative energy sources, and then defeated a provision on new gas mileage standards and a ban on drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge.

« Energy Bill Debate Highlights Phantom Restrictions on Domestic Oil and Gas Exploration |