In an interview with Fox News on the sidelines of the House Republican Issues Conference, Scalise, R-La., said energy will continue to be « a …
In an interview with Fox News on the sidelines of the House Republican Issues Conference, Scalise, R-La., said energy will continue to be « a major issue, » as Americans grapple with record-high gas prices. « The answer, in most people’s eyes, is right in front of us, » Scalise told Fox News. « We can produce our own energy, lower the cost of gasoline, take leverage away from dictators like Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Biden won’t do it. » Scalise said Americans are « fed up » seeing gas prices increasing. « You’re over $100 and you’re still not halfway up filling up your tank, and you realize it is because of policies coming out of Washington, » Scalise said. « And you know, if the leaders don’t get the policy right, then you need to get new leaders, » he said. The Biden administration has repeatedly blamed the rising gas prices, and even record-high inflation, on Putin and his multi-front war against Ukraine. The White House has even coined the increase in gasoline prices as the « #PutinPriceHike. » But Scalise, and Republicans, have slammed their characterization, reminding that gas prices have been increasing since Biden took office in January 2021. « Maybe Biden thinks he can trick people into thinking that gas prices just started going up, » Scalise said. « Before the invasion, Biden was begging Putin to produce more oil, which again, begs the question, you knew Putin was getting ready to move on Ukraine, and we started having energy problems in America and higher prices because Biden limited the supply of oil here, and then, who did he turn to? » Scalise said Biden « knows he could have turned to American energy producers to get more oil, but instead, he turned to Putin, knowing that Putin was taking that money every day and using it to build up his forces—over 100,000 at the time, to move on Ukraine.
