May 26, 2006

LANSING – In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today highlighted her actions to protect consumers at the pump and once again called on President Bush to take action to bring down the cost of fuel across the nation.
 
“This Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer and the traditional start of the busy travel and tourism season in Michigan,” Granholm said.  “Before our families and travelers head out the door, they’ll be filling up their tanks and paying far too much to do so.”
 
While Granholm has taken action at the state level to protect consumers, including instructing the Department of Agriculture to hire more gas pump inspectors and to monitor the cost of fuel for signs of price gouging, she stressed that the high price of fuel is a national issue.  As a result, the governor started a petition drive to demand that President Bush call for a cap on windfall profits by the oil companies.
 
Response to the Governor’s petition drive was phenomenal.  Yesterday, Granholm sent more than 275,000 signatures from people in Michigan, and as far away as Texas and California, to the White House.  Because it would have taken more than 10,000 sheets of paper and hundreds of dollars to ship the signatures, the signatures were put on a computer disc.  Though the package was small, the message was huge: Michigan residents have had enough, and its time for the White House to take action.
 
Even as travelers deal with high gas prices this holiday weekend, Granholm stressed the importance of remembering the meaning and spirit behind Memorial Day.

“Of course the real message of Memorial Day is something more important than the cost of fuel,” Granholm said.  “It’s about the cost of freedom, and it’s time to honor the service of the men and women who’ve worn our nation’s uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice.”

The Governor’s weekly radio address is released each Friday at 10:00 a.m. and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state through an affiliation with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.  The address will also be available on the Governor’s website on Mondays as a podcast for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers

Broadcasters Note: Governor Granholm’s radio address can be accessed through Sunday evening exclusively through the Members Only page of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters website. 

Publishers Note: The text of today’s address is attached.