WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today made the following statement on today’s Steering and Policy Committee hearing on rising gas prices:
“Experts at today’s Steering and Policy Committee hearing on rising gas prices pointed to speculation as a culprit. Higher gas prices are hurting American families and jeopardizing our economic recovery. Meanwhile, U.S. oil production is at its highest level since 2003.
“Unfortunately, the hearing provided strong evidence of what I said at the opening: Republicans defend a free market, even when it is rigged. Republicans in Congress have chosen to starve government agencies tasked with policing our markets and instead have insisted that we should simply drill more. They should join Democratic efforts to ensure the proper functioning of energy markets and urge the Department of Justice to look into these reports of manipulation."
