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« Elmwood Community Center holding 'toy-gun buy back' today | Today | Ex-McDonald's worker gets 42 months for break-time robbery » December 14, 2005Reed: Venezuelan oil deal could be ready by holidaysWASHINGTON - There may be a deal ``by the holidays'' to get some discount-price heating oil to needy Rhode Islanders through the Venezuelan-controlled Citgo, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said today. The Rhode Island Democrat spoke after a meeting at his office with the Venezuelan ambassador, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, and Citgo's chief lobbyist, Rafael Gomez. Along with the state energy office and the industry-affiliated Rhode Island Heat Oil Institute, the parties have been talking for several weeks about a possible agreement to distribute Venezuelan-subsidized fuel to poor households. Such agreements are already in place for Boston and for the Bronx in New York City, with Citgo oil flowing at as much as 40 percent below market price. In a conference telephone call with reporters, Reed sidestepped a question about U.S. relations with the Chavez government, stressing the number of U.S. jobs and businesses tied to the Houston-based Citgo, which is controlled by Venezuela's state oil company. ``We're actually trying to help people and we're not doing it in a way that compromises'' the foreign policy of the United State, Reed said. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who had a separate meeting with Venezuelan and Citgo officials, said he appreciated Citgo's availability. "I hope we can work together to provide relief for low-income households and people struggling to meet their energy needs in Rhode Island," the Rhode Island Republican said. -- Journal Washington bureau writer John E. Mulligan, with projo.com reports Posted by Andrea Panciera |
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