Congress began a series of meetings this week to examine the possibility of price gouging among the oil companies. Though the meetings were actually scheduled before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM, said they are more important now than ever.

Domenici issued a stern warning to oil companies on Tuesday, Sept. 6, that they could easily find themselves before a congressional committee.

"Let me say to any oil company that is price gouging: They will see themselves in those witness chairs," Domenici said.

Representatives from the Department of the Interior and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission testified at Tuesday's hearing. Another hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 7.