Senate Republicans Call On Administration To Seek Energy Independence

It’s been a theme for the American consumer for months at this point, gas prices continue to move higher. Combined that with record diesel and fertilizer prices, producers says they’re seeing those input costs cut into their bottom lines. And that has made input costs, for farmers and non-farmers, a hot button issue during an election year.

“It's over $4 a gallon in all 50 states," stated Wyoming Republican Senator John Barrasso. "So over $5 a gallon in New York, over $6 a gallon in California, we have the energy in the ground. In this country. The president ought to be getting the permits, passed the permission to drill and the infrastructure, the energy infrastructure that is so desperately needed.”

The White House blames Russia’s war in Ukraine, post-pandemic demand and supply chain issues. Hill Republicans are quick to blame Biden's energy policies.

“They could lower energy prices by reversing all the policies of last year," Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. "That is, it increased the price of gasoline by $2. They can get tariffs off of fertilizers and we can move back to energy independence.”

President Biden is again considering tapping an oil reserve, this time for diesel, as national distillate stocks fall to their lowest level since 2008, but officials admit it will do little for prices, only help prevent spot shortages.

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