Newhouse Introduces Legislation to Protect Americans from President Biden’s Anti-Energy Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) introduced the Gas Prices Relief Act with the support of Congressional Western Caucus Members. A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senate Western Caucus Member Roger Marshall (R-KS). The legislation aims to protect Americans from President Biden’s anti-energy agenda.

“President Biden’s attack on American energy has resulted in the highest gas prices we have seen in decades, and he can’t blame this on Putin. This is a crisis of his own making,” said Rep Newhouse. “Instead of empowering U.S. energy producers and encouraging development of domestic energy, the Biden Administration has attacked the U.S. energy sector, made us more reliant on foreign energy sources, and weakened our ability to provide for our own people. Banning Russian imports of oil and gas was the right move. Now, we must increase domestic development and strengthen our all-of-the-above energy portfolio. This bill will ensure that President Biden puts Americans first, instead of overregulating the very industry that can reduce gas prices.”

Since President Biden took office, gas prices have reached an all-time high in Central Washington, and the national average price per gallon has increased from $2.39 to $4.23. This is a direct result of the Biden Administration’s actions to throttle American energy producers and make the U.S. more reliant on foreign countries to meet our energy needs.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

The bill would prohibit the Biden Administration from enacting new rules or regulations that would decrease domestic oil, gas, or biofuels productions; increase gas prices; or have any negative effects on domestic energy production, infrastructure development, or transportation fuels. The prohibition would stay in place until January 1, 2023 or until gas prices fall below $2.60 per gallon.

Western Caucus Members have strongly advocated against President Biden’s anti-energy agenda and have called on his Administration to strengthen American energy independence, both by increasing domestic energy development and by ensuring a reliable supply chain of critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies and domestic manufacturing.

In January, Western Caucus Members and House Oversight and Reform Republicans hosted a joint forum on rising American energy prices, titled “Holding the Biden Administration Accountable for Skyrocketing Prices & Failing Energy Policies.”

Most recently, Chairman Newhouse, Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04), and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) led a letter to the Administration urging the prioritization of the National Offshore Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Click here to read more.

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