Lankford, Senate GOP blame White House for record-high gas prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and several Republican Senators discussed climbing fuel prices Wednesday.

Senators blamed the Biden administration for minimal domestic oil production and relying on foreign imports.

“For the ninth consecutive day in a row we hit the highest gasoline prices in the history of our country,” said Lankford. “This is what real life looks like every single day for Oklahomans, when they’re trying to figure out how [they’re] going to buy groceries and all the different effects that they’re actually feeling.”

Nationally, average prices for a gallon of gas sit at $4.56, up 10.9% from a month ago when the average was $4.09 per gallon, according to AAA.

Average gas prices in Oklahoma are below the national average at $4.03 per gallon. In Tulsa County, the average is $3.96 per gallon.

Diesel prices are at an all-time-high national average of $5.58 per gallon. The Oklahoma average is $5.22 per gallon.

>>How do current Oklahoma gas prices compare to other states?

Lankford emphasized that the price of diesel is directly affecting the economy.

“The price of diesel is up, that means every single product that we buy that’s transported on a diesel truck all just went up in price. The price of all shipping went up. The price of all [agriculture] products just went up because every single tractor fuel price went up,” said Lankford.

“It is driving up every part of our economy. We rely on transportation to get goods from point A to point B, and the fuel costs are wrapped up in those goods,” said U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Ia.)

Consumer prices were up 8.3% in April from a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was slightly below consumer prices for March, when prices were up 8.5% year-over-year, the highest since 1981. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.3% from March to April, the smallest rise in eight months.

Senators called on President Biden to increase domestic oil production to alleviate gas prices and become energy independent.

“First and foremost let’s unleash American energy, we have the capabilities we have the skills and we have the resources right here in the United States to be energy dependent. We should not be subjected to these prices,” said Ernst.

“We’re feeling the effects on every single area of the economy because President Biden is unwilling to deal with the base of our economy, that’s energy prices,” said Lankford.

In April, Democratic leaders announced an effort to push for a federal crackdown on high gas prices by giving the Federal Trade Commission increased authority to go after companies that engage in price gouging.