Gas prices may soon be dropping by as much as 25 cents a gallon within the month.

At least, that is the hope of Congressman Joe Donnelly after the house passed legislation he co-sponsored last night.

NewsCenter 16’s Maureen McFadden talked to Donnelly via satellite Wednesday afternoon.

He says he sent a letter to President Bush in April, asking him to suspend oil shipments to the strategic petroleum reserve.

The president did not, so Donnelly says a bipartisan Congress did.

“So in effect it will prevent the government from competing with families back home for that gallon of gas,” said Donnelly. “So this is a big win for the consumer.”

Donnelly says this is a first step and he would like the extra millions of gallons of gas put on the market to drive prices down and end speculation.

He also says there are enough votes to override a presidential veto.