Wednesday, as President Joe Biden urged Congress to repeal the federal gas tax, the White House once more pointed the finger at Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, both Biden and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm acknowledged that a gas tax holiday wouldn’t be sufficient on its own to combat the factors driving up gas prices. However, they cast it as a crucial step in a longer process to support American consumers as oil supplies become more scarce.
In a brief statement at the White House, Biden mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin and stated, “We might have turned a blind eye to Putin’s homicidal tactics.” “Gas prices wouldn’t have risen as much as they have. That, in my opinion, would have been incorrect.
The president compared criticism of his administration over rising gas costs with the bipartisan backing for Ukraine. Due to almost record-high inflation, his government has come under increasing criticism.
Are you saying that reduced gas costs in America and Putin’s repressive rule in Europe would be preferable to us? said, Biden. “I don’t think that’s true,”
Biden urged the oil industry to boost refining capacity and give customers “every penny” of their cost savings from the anticipated gas tax break. He requested a three-month delay of the federal 18-cent per gallon gas tax earlier on Wednesday, but it is doubtful that Congress would approve it.
According to Granholm, the administration is still in communication with both Democrats and Republicans.
At the daily White House press briefing, she stated, “I would hope that both sides of the aisle are listening to their citizens about receiving comfort.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reaffirmed her sustained support for proposals enacted by House Democrats regarding petrol pricing in a statement on Wednesday. We will evaluate where the agreement rests on a course ahead, she added in response to the president’s suggestion.
The president stated in his address that states should look for further ways to reduce consumer gas prices, such as removing their own gas taxes or providing refunds to homeowners.
A federal gas tax holiday, state gas tax holidays, greater refinery capacity, and oil corporations and gas stations passing along savings to customers, to name just a few of Biden’s demands, could together reduce gas costs by approximately a dollar per gallon, he said.
On Thursday, Granholm said she intended to meet with executives from significant domestic refiners.
She responded, “We need them to come to the table.
Highway maintenance is paid for by the federal gas tax, but according to Biden, taxes will be collected at greater rates and there will be less of a deficit this year.
We can accomplish both at once, Biden added. “We can lower gas prices and provide some temporary respite for people.”
Long-term, the experience of growing gas costs, according to Biden, shows the necessity for electric vehicles, increased public transit networks, and alternative energy sources like wind, solar, and nuclear.
