NO FUEL I.IK1 AN oil) I : osmi MM 



823 



her case against Teague's position on the amendment. Unfortunately, 



I eague's sense of fairness in this case did not translate itself into more 

 votes for his side. 



Toward the end of the debate, Thornton made a telling point on 

 the investment which consumers had already made in their homes and 

 natural gas appliances tor heating and cooking: 



That is the reason chat the synthetic natural gas proposal is neeJcJ. Consumers 

 using those fuels have an investment many times that which would he required to 

 produce synthetic tucl. 



'This is not just an oil bill," McCormack proclaimed. "It includes all 

 forms of energy, including solar energy." 



After using 14 speakers in I6/2 minutes, beating down Ottinger 

 and Dingell to one minute each, the time left for Hays was 3 1 _> minutes. 

 Hechler called the quorum call to insure a big audience for the final 

 speaker. Hays was in top form, and his listeners hung on every word 

 as he led off: 



Mr. Speaker, the spirit of Christmas is upon us and this is the biggest Christmas 

 gift to the biggest corporations in the country that I have ever seen since I have been 

 around Washington. 



Referring to the fact that the proposal had the bipartisan backing 

 of two Presidential candidates — Republican President Ford and Demo- 

 cratic Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington — Hays brought down 

 the House with this jab: 



You know something, if the people find that out that may be the reason neither 

 one of them are going to be standing out on the East Portico taking the oath of office 

 a year from now. 



If the Members want to vote for this just before Christmas and go home and tell 

 their people that as little as this Congress has done for the people, we found time, 

 without any hearings, without any testimony, without any chance to amend it in 

 the House, we found time to give these big companies this gift, they can do so. 



If the Members do not believe that these companies have got the money, turn on 

 your television set any evening and if you can get anything on them besides Exxon 

 ads, you have got a better make of television set than I have. 



Teague had only 30 seconds left, which was barely enough to clear 

 his throat. He replied: 



Mr. Speaker, it is Christmas, and there is no )oke. This legislation was started 

 about 25 years ago, and it is time that Congress gave the American people a Christmas 

 present of assuring them that they do not have to depend on the Arabs for energy in 

 this country. 



Teague scarcely had time to mention that Exxon had said they were not 

 interested in the legislation. He did not have the chance to refute many 

 of the other statements about the merits of the bill. 



