Denver, Colorado - With gasoline prices soaring to $3.34 per gallon in Colorado heading into Memorial Day weekend, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak today called on Colorado Republicans in Washington to help ease the pain at the pump for Colorado's families.

Yesterday in the House of Representatives, Democrats led the charge to pass the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2007 by a mostly party line vote of 284-141, defying a veto threat from President Bush. The bill would protect Americans from being gouged at the pump and set America on a path toward lower gas prices by imposing tough new measures to investigate and punish those who are artificially inflating the price of gasoline. The Bush Administration's veto threat and the fact that most Republicans, including Colorado's Reps. Lamborn, Musgrave and Tancredo voted against the bill shows that the Republican Party remains beholden to Big Oil.

"I commend Colorado's Democrats in Congress who showed political will and tenacity in the face of veto threats to pass a bill that puts American families first," said Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak . "Republicans like Doug Lamborn, Marilyn Musgrave and Tom Tancredo should apologize for failing to join Democrats to pass the anti-price gouging bill yesterday, and owe it to Coloradans to hold the Bush Administration accountable and help lower gas prices. Our Democrats in Congress are keeping their promises and helping make America energy independent. That's what Coloradans voted for, and that's what they're getting."