May 8, 2008  

(Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today urged Congress to act quickly on a bill to control fuel prices.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced a measure that would punish price gouging, create a temporary windfall profits tax on major oil companies and suspend filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

"More than 600,000 Teamsters earn their living driving vehicles that run on petroleum-based fuel," Hoffa said. "These exorbitant prices are hurting our employers, whether they are freight or parcel delivery companies, airlines, police departments, grocery chains or school bus companies.

"High gas prices are eating into paychecks and destroying family budgets," Hoffa said. "Families have to pay more for essentials because they cost more to deliver. This bill is a common-sense approach to protecting American workers from greedy corporations and speculators."

The bill would also prevent speculators from cashing in on off-shore transactions. Finally, the bill would allow the attorney general to take action against any country or company that fixes the price of any petroleum product.

"We can’t let the entire U.S. economy take a hit just so a handful of oil companies can make obscene profits," Hoffa said.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.