CHENEY: FORGET FEDERAL PRICE HELP.

Byline: Bill Hillburg Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney told California lawmakers on Tuesday not to expect any federal relief from the energy crisis as the Senate's new Democratic leaders vowed to press for price caps on electricity.

``It was clear he (Cheney) had his mind made up before he came into the room,'' said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, who supports legislation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein for price caps.

``We need federal help right now. It's really about time President Bush did something for California,'' added Waxman, who echoed the views of most Democrats after the hourlong Capitol meeting with Cheney.

The session, hosted by Rep. David Dreier, R-Covina, drew 22 California House Democrats and 16 GOP members, as well as Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer, both Democrats.

Cheney, the point man for President George W. Bush's energy policy, had previously met twice with the state's GOP House members. Several Republicans, including Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, have joined with Democrats in calling for temporary price caps.

Republicans said they found the Cheney meeting productive.

``It's clear this administration is focused on this problem and is committed to working with members of both parties to find solutions that work for the people of California,'' said Dreier, leader of the state's GOP House delegation.

Earlier Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., the new chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, vowed to have price cap legislation before the full Senate within 30 days.

Also, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the new chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, announced a July 20 showdown hearing on price caps and alleged price gouging that will include testimony from Gov. Gray Davis and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members.

Bush and Cheney have long argued that price caps on electricity would be counterproductive and have resisted efforts to have FERC impose temporary price controls. They have characterized California's crisis as a product of its own flawed deregulation effort and have instead focused on expanded energy production as a long-term solution to rolling blackouts and sharply rising prices.

``We're not asking for other states to send us money,'' said Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, who accused energy producers of using maintenance-related power plant shutdowns to curb supplies and inflate prices. ``All we need is to go back to the price regulation that is required under federal law.''