The Biden administration’s energy policies have come into focus of late as consumers nationwide have seen costs rapidly increase.
According to AAA Gas Prices, Alabamians on average are paying $3.20 per gallon for regular gasoline, representing a 69% increase from last year’s average cost of $1.89 per gallon during the same time period.
As consumers continue to pay more at the pump, some elected officials are placing blame for rising costs at the feet of the current administration.
One critic of the administration’s policies, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), on Wednesday suggested rising costs are due to Biden waging an “all out attack” on the nation’s energy industry.
“I filled up yesterday myself here in Washington, D.C. and paid over $4.00 per gallon – that is insane,” declared Tuberville. “Gas prices are at their highest since 2014, and today’s prices are $1.00 higher than a year ago. These skyrocketing prices did not happen overnight. They are a result of President Biden’s all out attack on fossil fuels and our nation’s energy independence.”
Echoing the senator’s concerns was U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), who on Wednesday took aim at the administration’s progressive climate agenda.
“President Biden’s energy policies have triggered 7-year high gas prices that are hammering American families and small business owners,” proclaimed Moore.
In a controversial move, President Joe Biden on his first day in office killed construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The project, which supported thousands jobs for the nation’s energy sector, was created to allow American crude oil to be transported to various regions of the United States.
As part of his administration’s so-called clean energy agenda, Biden revoked the pipeline’s 2019 permit which was authorized by then-President Donald Trump.
Additionally, one of the first executive orders issued by Biden was to pause new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters. The American Petroleum Institute estimated that the move could cost nearly one million American jobs in the near future.
Moore continued, “Today, gas prices are about 50% higher than only a year ago. In Montgomery, folks are paying $3.09 per gallon, Enterprise $3.21, and Eufaula and Troy $3.29. At these prices, the average Alabamian will pay about $23 more each week on gasoline. That’s more than $100 each month, and almost $1,200 a year!”
The South Alabama congressman indicated that growing inflation in conjunction with rising energy costs had served to intensify the issue.
“Gas prices impact small businesses too,” added Moore.” I’m a small business owner, and countless small businesses like mine that are highly dependent on gas prices are being hammered right now by high gas prices. Almost all goods and services must be delivered via gas at some point. So its basic economics. When the price of gas goes up, the price of everything goes up! That’s on top of near-record inflation being driven by out-of-control government spending.”
The congressman concluded, “The insanity has to stop, or the pain at the pump will continue. Biden must end his war on American energy, and we must defeat his socialist tax-and-spend agenda.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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