I would like to take credit for writing this letter to Senator John Cornyn.
However, this link http://capwiz.com/sosnow/issues/alert/?alertid=11571321
was sent to me by United Airlines. You merely have to enter your zip code,
and it will link the letter to the appropriate congressman (woman) and
senator for your district. As you can see by the autoreply from John
Cornyn's office, it appears to get routed to the correct locations. I have
been really upset by all this oil speculation business, but didn't really
know how to go about doing something about it. The form letter has the
ability to be edited or replaced entirely, but since I filled it out at 5:30
AM, I just left it as it was written.

Dear Scott Burrows,

Thank you for contacting my offices. Your correspondence has been received, and we will respond to you as quickly as possible. A copy of your message is attached below for your records.

If you need immediate assistance regarding an urgent problem you are experiencing with the federal government, visit the "Help With Federal Agencies" section of the website for details on how to proceed so that your difficulties are brought to my attention as soon as possible.

If you are seeking information or services from my offices that are NOT related to my Legislative duties, please visit my "Services For Texans" section for more information.

Warmest Regards,
U.S. Senator John Cornyn

---------------------------------------------------
Name/Email:
Scott Burrows (edited my email)

Street Address:
Edited My Address, 
Spicewood, TX
78669

Phone/Fax:
5122642406



Your Message:
Environment
Scott Burrows
Edited My Address
Spicewood, TX 78669-1693


July 11, 2008

The Honorable John Cornyn
United States Senate
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4302


Dear Senator Cornyn:

High prices for energy are hurting me and my family and I strongly urge
Congress to act immediately to lower costs for all Americans.

Rampant speculation in the commodities futures market is driving up prices
out of proportion to marketplace demands. The problem is speculators are
increasingly buying and selling commodities such as oil even though they
have no intention of using the product. The unregulated speculators are
pocketing billions of dollars at our expense. The cost of food has gone
up, the price at the pump has gone way up, and I'm already concerned about
how much more it will cost to heat my home this winter. 

To lower oil prices for all Americans we need to increase domestic supply,
exploration, alternative energy sources and conservation. We also must
protect bona fide speculation and hedging.

To address excessive speculation, Congress should promptly take the
following actions:

1. Re-establish strict position limits on energy commodities - Position
limits have existed since 1936 and work well at curtailing excessive
speculation. Any trader that is not hedging with the intention of taking
physical delivery of a related commodity must be subject to strict
position limits in all contract months.

2. Close the London Loophole - Foreign Boards of Trade with U.S. Terminals
trading futures contracts that cash-settle against U.S. contracts should
face the exact same regulations as U.S. exchanges. It is not fair for U.S.
futures exchanges to face more regulation than their foreign counterparts
trading in U.S. commodities.

3. Regulate "swaps trades" - All trades in the over-the-counter (OTC)
swaps market must be subject to strict position limits. It is unfair to
exempt swaps dealers from the same regulations that other market
participants face. Experts have estimated the size of the OTC markets as
nine or ten times larger than the futures markets.

4. Fully close the "Enron loophole" - "Exempt Commercial Markets" that
trade U.S. contract which are nearly identical to fully regulated
contracts should no longer be exempt from the same regulations that apply
to Designated Commercial Markets such as the NYMEX.

5. Bring transparency to all energy trading - Positions of traders in all
markets should be reported to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
(CFTC) and should be properly categorized based on where the trades occur
and who is doing the trading. This will provide vital information that can
be used to detect and prevent market manipulation.

Thank you for listening to my concerns. By adopting these common-sense
solutions, Congress can dramatically reduce the price of oil and gas,
providing immediate relief for businesses and families like mine.

Sincerely,


Scott Burrows
Edited My Phone Number