On the recordMarch 16, 2022
I am sorry I am just a little late because, actually, the Education and Labor Committee, we are doing markups right now. I rise to address the ongoing energy crisis and the impact it is having on families in Orange County. The picture you see here is a snapshot of what gas prices looked like for my constituents in the past week. But I heard--actually, this is in Orange County. Last week, same time--this isn't my district, but in Sacramento that we have actually hit over $9 per gallon. These prices have increased 30 percent in the last year. Gas prices in Orange County, and across the country, are rising every single day. One reason for these skyrocketing costs is policies enacted by this administration that have weakened our energy independence and made us dependent on foreign oil. With the President taking the necessary step of banning Russian oil, it is even more important that we return to our former energy independence. We cannot turn from one foreign dictator to another to meet our energy needs. We have the resources right here to bring down costs and produce the cleanest energy on Earth. I urge all my colleagues to join me in pursuing policies to secure our energy independence.
