John Hoeven: “I rise today to discuss the high cost of energy and the high cost of gasoline prices that are the direct result of the…”

“I rise today to discuss the high cost of energy and the high cost of gasoline prices that are the direct result of the Biden administration's harmful energy policies. As Americans hit the road over the recent holiday weekend, many noticed something that has become all too familiar under the Biden administration, and that is continued high prices at the gas pump. The average cost of a gallon of gas was about $2.40 on January 20, 2021. Today, consumers are paying at the pump about $3.80 a gallon for gasoline, on average. That is 60 percent higher than when President Biden took office. That hits every one of them right in the pocketbook, particularly those who can afford it the least. Now, gasoline is like any commodity, wherein prices are high because demand exceeds supply. President Biden's energy policy is the problem. There can be no doubt about that. The main problem is that President Biden's Green New Deal policies are stifling domestic energy production--that is the main problem--but President Biden has literally taken action to put America behind the barrel. It is not just that he is restricting domestic supply; he has also increased our dependence on foreign oil, and our adversaries know it. Let me tell you what I mean. Since the Biden administration started, it has released 260 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, bringing our Reserve to its lowest level since 1983.…”