Sessions compares oil situation to extortion
By Evan Carden SA Editor

U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. (left), talks with Calvert resident Andy Webb during a community meeting, Saturday, at Webb's Cafe. (SA photo by Evan Carden)

During a visit to Calvert, Saturday, May 3, U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions said the main reason for the recent price hike in fuel prices is due to oil-producing nations placing restriction on production.

"They are extorting us for prices unrelated to what the free market product-based price is," he said to a a group of area resid gathered for a community meeting with the senator at Webb's Cafe. "Foreign oil companies are making billions off of us."

Sessions pointed out that the average American family is paying $100 or more a month in fuel, but not making enough money to compensate for the recent increase in prices. He said a reduction in the amount of a household's disposable income causes a slowdown in the economy.

"We need a fundamental plan to make up that difference," he added. "This country needs to look at ways to move away from liquid fuel consumption."

Washington County Commissioner Allen Bailey and Sen. Sessions discuss issues with several constituents following Saturday's meeting. (SA photo by Evan Carden)

Sessions also discussed a bill scheduled to be debated by Congress in the near future that addresses global warming and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. He explained that the bill, if passed, would require drastic reductions in the amount of CO2 emissions.

"The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has concluded this could drive up the price of gas another 53-cents per gallon and increase the cost of electricity," said Sessions. "In the last year the temperatures actually dropped. I can't see pushing down another huge government mandate on the American People."

The senator said the U.S. basically shot itself in the foot years ago when Congress approved placing restrictions on the extraction of oil from the national reserve shell. He said the restrictions were put in place because of the current energy bill due to the need to heat the base of the shell for the extraction process, increasing the CO2 emissions.

Some of the solutions to the current fuel price crisis Sessions discussed included producing more oil in the U.S., breakthroughs in hybrid or full electric vehicles and ongoing research in the conversion of hydrogen for use in automobiles.

He then turned his attention to the spike in the price of diesel fuel. "Diesel shouldn't be more expensive than gasoline because of the way it is made," said Sessions, pointing out that it is a byproduct of gasoline production. "I think we need a plan for diesel price reduction."

He went on to explain that U.S. diesel fuel is cleaner than Europe's because the mandates here are stricter. He also pointed out that the new diesel engines being produced for personal automobiles actually are more fuel efficient than many hybrids.

"If 30 percent of our vehicles were diesel, it would reduce our importing of oil by 10 percent," he added.

During the community meeting, other subjects Sessions discussed included the proposed tanker (EADS) project, the removing of restrictions on log trucks to use interstate highways, regulation of the federal interest rate, the current credit crisis in America and the Iraq war.

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