TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. -- At a press conference Thursday, Congressman Maurice Hinchey outlined short, medium and long-term solutions to reducing gas prices. He said major reasons for the rising cost of fuel are the U.S. occupation of Iraq and especially the decreasing value of the dollar.

"The value of the dollar has not been addressed. All of the focus has been on the oil companies, the government and the producers of oil. But the value of the dollar has driven up the price of oil at least 50 percent over the course of the last couple of years more than anything else," said Hinchey.

Hinchey said he knows it will be a long time before any legislation capping the gas price would be passed, but said he will fight hard for the gas cap.