Biden Taking No ‘Immediate Action’ to Lower Gas Prices

Today, the nationwide average price for a gallon of gasoline hit another new record high: $4.72. For the first time ever, every state’s average price for a gallon of gas is more than $4.00 and in some states, customers are paying more than $5.00.

One year ago, a gallon of gas averaged $3.04 and when Joe Biden and Kamala took office the price was just $2.53. Despite skyrocketing prices costing families thousands of dollars, Joe Biden said he “can’t take immediate action” to lower costs.

Wall Street Journal: President Biden warned there was little the administration can do in the short term to lower high energy and food prices as the White House struggles to contain the fallout of sky-high inflation.

Soaring prices have become a major liability for the president and Democratic Party as they seek to bolster their standing with voters ahead of November’s midterm elections. . .

“We can’t take immediate action that I’m aware of yet to figure out how we’re going to bring down the price of gasoline back to $3 a gallon,” Mr. Biden said, answering questions from reporters.

Republicans are slamming the Biden-Harris administration’s mismanagement of the crisis and called for rapid policy changes to increase American energy production.

Senator John Barrasso: On Biden’s first day in office, he cancelled the Keystone pipeline, which would have lowered energy prices in this country. Days later, he stopped holding oil and gas lease sales on federal lands. . .

Now Biden is spending down America’s emergency supply by releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Biden already released more oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve than any president in American history.” 

House Republicans are also unveiling an energy plan designed to unleash American energy production and compete with foreign adversaries. The proposal promotes an “all of the above” approach to energy that would bring prices down, reduce emissions and conserve the nation’s natural resources.

Politico: House Republicans are preparing to release a six-part strategy to try to tame surging gasoline prices and to combat climate change that calls for increasing production of all types of energy and sets no greenhouse gas targets. . .

“We are creating a clear coherent energy strategy that returns the U.S. to an emissions reduction trajectory as opposed to what we are seeing under the Biden administration, which is failing every test, whether it be affordability, emissions or security,” Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), the chair of the 17-member task force, told POLITICO in an exclusive interview previewing the plan.

The task force report, shared with POLITICO, contains six pillars: “Unlock America’s Resources,” “Beat China and Russia,” “Let America Build,” “Build Resilient Communities,” “American Innovation” and “Conservation with a Purpose.”

Bottom Line: While Joe Biden and congressional Democrats sit on the sidelines, Republicans are proposing specific actions to lower energy costs.