Donnelly and Congress hope to lower gas prices
Donnelly and Congress hope to lower gas prices Save Email Print
Posted: 6:58 PM May 14, 2008
 Last Updated: 7:18 PM May 14, 2008
30 comments
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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.
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Posted by: Nick Location: CA on Jun 5, 2008 at 04:42 PM
What good is a rebate if the rebate is gone to Gas in 2 weeks. Doesn't save me anything.
Posted by: Nick Location: CA on Jun 5, 2008 at 04:41 PM
Your Nuts,, Bush owns stock in the Gas company's that is the reason gas prices are so High. I know someone that works at one of these big gas company's and they meant with bush to discus the price going up more...
Posted by: Svengali Location: Elkhart on May 18, 2008 at 07:00 PM
you think this is bad wait till a democrat gets elected....taxes out the yang, no jobs and a recession for sure.
Posted by: Sue on May 17, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Val and Bill why in the heck would we vote Republican? Look at the mess we are in and I believe our President is a Republican. Are you idiots? Vote Democrat!!!!!
Posted by: Mitch Location: Mishawaka on May 17, 2008 at 01:09 PM
Kind of interesting that Donnelly's office has been a PR machine spitting out press releases left and right the past month. Seems like he is vowing for attention every few days now. Looks like someone is getting a little nervous of the upcoming election. Maybe he should of been more concerned about this earlier in his office term. Too much, too late?
Posted by: john Location: elkhart on May 15, 2008 at 06:35 PM
making iraq pay us back is fine and dandy BUT its OPEC causing the gas to go up i think we should tell OPEC where they can stick thier oil at we all should boycott are gas stations for a week when the big oil companies are making billions of dollars off of us lets see if thier profits go down
Posted by: Val Location: elk on May 15, 2008 at 02:46 PM
I agree with "I luv my suv" on supply and demand, we all learned that in Econ class. But how can we make Iraq pay us back? I also agree with Bill, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of "bigger government" -VOTE REPUBLICAN!-
Posted by: Mr. Sarcasm on May 15, 2008 at 02:43 PM
It's a good thing Donnelly's there to vote on someone else's bill. Otherwise it might not pass.
Posted by: Bill Location: Osceola on May 15, 2008 at 02:14 PM
When the Republicans controlled congress gas was 2.19 a gallon. Since the democrats took ove in 2006 the price went up to it's current price. VOTE REPUBLICAN.
Posted by: I LUV MY SUV Location: Mishawaka on May 15, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Something else that just occurred to me. Why not make Iraq pay us back in oil? $50 a barrel sounds about right. It should be a much longer fix... then again, all of the other countries might want in the cheap oil too. If they were our allies in Iraq, they get the same price of oil. Sounds pretty fair to me. It would benefit the rest of the world because we wouldn't be buying all the oil... supply goes up, prices come down.
Posted by: I LUV MY H2 Location: Mishawaka on May 15, 2008 at 01:27 PM
This would only benefit consumers for a few months and then the savings are completely wiped out when the prices go up. Get real people. Savings gone and we're back where we started. No big save. And there will still complaining. this is election year pandering folks, DON'T BUY INTO IT!
Posted by: Amy Location: Elkhart on May 15, 2008 at 11:27 AM
The long term fix is to drill here in AMERICA!!!! The puny amount gained from the strategic oil reserve will amount to nothing. The politicians are just trying to say the did "something." Their best bet is to focus on Alaska for the long term, hello.....is anybody listening. Joe Donnelly are you there?
Posted by: Dustin Location: Mishawaka on May 15, 2008 at 09:35 AM
The whole "let's drill in ANWR" thing has been hashed out already, back in 2005. ANWR, by most estimates, has enough oil to satisfy our current level of consumption for about six months. It would take longer to build the place than it would to operate it. Meanwhile an area set aside solely to maintain and preserve arctic wildlife (which is an area in enough trouble as it is) would be opened up to diesel rigs, pipelines, roads and equipment that the oil companies will never clean up. If you think using the oil reserve is a short term fix, using ANWR is worse. We can always refill the oil reserve, we can never repair the damage that could be done to ANWR. Focus on real fixes: lowering the speed limit, increasing gas mileage, investigate renewable and sustainable fuels, trade your gas guzzler for a more efficient vehicle and, oh by the way, buy oil from our friends in Iraq!
Posted by: Wondering Location: Midwest on May 15, 2008 at 08:22 AM
There are a few idiots out there, Chaz that has some negative comment on everything. Boy, if the rest of the world was as smart as you, surely there would be no problems. What Joe Donnelly and Congress are doing is going to be appreciated by most hard-working people that are now struggling to get by with the price of gas. As far as using the reserves, do you really think they will not replenish that in record time if need be. I for one am thankful that finally there are some politicians stepping up to the plate and saying enough is enough and coming up with ways to help the americans. Thank God you are not a politician, this country would have already been done in.
Posted by: Willie Location: Niles on May 15, 2008 at 07:40 AM
It is sad that so many people are so delusional. "Please big government, save us!" Just like the war on poverty did away with poor people, and the war on drugs gave us a drug-free society. I have to agree with Chaz for once: this is no more than election year pandering, at the cost of weakening national security. And do the math; if you use 40 gallons/week, 25 cents a gallon will save you ten bucks. Give up two Starbucks coffees/week (or a couple/few packs of smokes) and you'll save that much.
Posted by: Clark Smith Location: milford, in on May 15, 2008 at 07:06 AM
Joe, I'am surprised at you for going the way of Hillary and John. Joe, We use 20M gallons a day, The reserve takes about 70,000 gallons a day. You won't see even a dent in prices. Joe, THERE IS NO SHORT TERM FIX. When are you and the rest of our do nothing congress going to open up drilling reserves, investigate alge fules produced by the sun. Ethenol is a farce. In Milford, We refused Verason a permit to build a plant because it would partly drive up the cost of producing duck and chickens as well as grain for cattle and hogs. If you really want an intermediate fix, limit the speculation on oil futures. Market analysis showes thet $30 to $40 a barrell comes from speculation. YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CONGRESSMAN WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME UNPOPULAR DECISSIONS. Lets get on with it !!!! NO MORE PATCHES
Posted by: mark on May 15, 2008 at 06:38 AM
25 cents? what a joke. in 3 days, it will make up that and more.
Posted by: Hey JOE! on May 15, 2008 at 05:40 AM
DRILL IN ANWAR JOE! DRILL IN ANWAR JOE! That is in America Joe! There is more oil in Alaska than in Saudi Arabia Joe! What are you WAITING FOR JOE!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Sam on May 15, 2008 at 03:18 AM
Where is the oil from Iraq going? Wasn't it Bush that said it would take 5 years for the U.S. to see the oil prices change b/c of Iraqi oil? The only change I have seen is the price going up.
Posted by: Annon Location: South Bend on May 15, 2008 at 12:48 AM
Larry, It would make an immediate difference. The market would react right away and oil prices would fall. This country blew it years ago. They should have put a tariff on imported oil that was selling cheaper than what it was costing to explore and extract oil here. A tariff would have allowed the small independent oil companies to remain in business and keep exploring here. There is oil in the Dakotas, Colorado off the coasts, but it is going to cost $40 to $50 a barrel to produce. If we start drilling there, Anwor or wherever the goverment needs to protect these companies and not purchase cheap foreign oil wehn OPEC to drops the price like they did in the late 70's and early 80's.
Posted by: Duke on May 14, 2008 at 10:45 PM
We need to start poking holes in Alaska, pronto. Industry experts say it won't affect the wildlife at all, and even if it does, have you ever eaten Caribou? Didn't think so. Realistically there's not much use for them other than cluttering up the places we want to dig for oil. Let's start pumping our own oil instead of buying it from terrorists and/or canadians.
Posted by: Larry Location: South Bend on May 14, 2008 at 10:19 PM
This seems only symbolic. Joe Donnelly should also vote for allowing oil drilling in ANWAR and off our coasts. It may not make much difference now, but it could help some in a few years.
Posted by: Jodi Location: Plymouth on May 14, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Right now I will take what I can get, Joe Donnelly had lunch with my parents on saturday and blames the gas issue on the projectionist setting the price for a barrel of gas at this rate 2 years ago, and in turn a gallon of gas. If he can lower the price if even by .25 cents then so be it.
Posted by: Jon Location: South bend on May 14, 2008 at 10:00 PM
I am gald bush is in his last year! Hes just taking money from us and it goes into his pocket!!! Bush can stop the gas prices from going up, he doesn't want to that all!!
Posted by: Chaz Location: South Bend on May 14, 2008 at 08:23 PM
As much as I hate to say this, on this, I side with Bush. God forbid we need that oil reserve. Stopping those shipments amounts to about .01% of our daily oil usage. To think that 1/10 of 1 percent change will result in a 6% drop in prices seems foolish to me.
Posted by: Joe Location: Osceola on May 14, 2008 at 08:16 PM
Ya, So how long do you think that that .25 is going to last? I Can hardly wait to see all of the savings when we pay 4.50 to 4.75 this July.
Posted by: Mark on May 14, 2008 at 08:16 PM
When this takes effect, the price will go UP, not down. Folks, you just don't understand the market. You'll be looking at $5 gas within a month if this passes. Open up Alaska and the gulf for drilling. Anything else is just economic onanism.
Posted by: Jason Location: Nappanee on May 14, 2008 at 07:34 PM
Please help us PLEASE. GAS PRICES EFFECT EVERYTHING!!!!
Posted by: Mike Sellers Location: Bristol on May 14, 2008 at 07:20 PM
Wow. My ONLY regret is that I had not registered to vote prior to Joe Donnely getting into office-I respect ANYONE who stands up to the OVER CORRUPT bush and his cronies! I would have liked to say that I voted for him! thank you Joe Donnelly
Posted by: Mary Location: SB on May 14, 2008 at 07:02 PM
Even with my hybrid car, I would definately appreciate the cost of gas dropping. Thanks for looking out for us, keep it going!

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