[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 8, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5342-H5343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             WE NEED RELIEF

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Walberg) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, when President Biden took office, the 
price of a gallon of gas stood at $2.39 a gallon. Today, the national 
average is more than double, clocking in at $4.96 per gallon.
  Since the beginning of the travel season, gas prices have reached a 
new record high every single day. The situation in my home State of 
Michigan is even more dire and unaffordable. In the past week, gas 
prices spiked more in Michigan, the motor capital of the world, than 
any other State. Our State average has skyrocketed up to $5.21.
  In Jackson, in my district, gas prices rose 20 cents overnight last 
week. In Lenawee County, my home county, they rose at an even quicker 
rate to $5.29, when I drove to the airport yesterday morning. Michigan 
families are struggling to pay these historic prices at the pump.
  Robert from Tecumseh, Michigan, told me that he along with many other 
seniors on a fixed income are simply unable to use their cars because 
of the price of gas.
  Another constituent wrote to me that someone drilled a hole in their 
truck's gas tank and stole their gas.
  This is the environment that President Biden's antienergy policies 
have created. Since day one, the Biden administration has been hostile 
to American energy. They canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. They halted 
oil and gas leases on Federal lands. They recklessly depleted our 
strategic reserves, which is now at its lowest level since 1987. They 
have done everything possible to discourage investment in domestic 
production.
  At the same time, the administration continues to beg Saudi Arabia 
and other foreign countries to boost their oil supply. It simply makes 
no sense.
  In Congress, just one side--House Republicans--has been proposing 
solutions. We should pass the American Energy Independence from Russia 
Act to unleash our domestic production capability.

[[Page H5343]]

  We should pass the Strategic Production Response Act to transition 
supply concerns from stopgap measures to permanent production 
solutions.
  And we should pass the PIPES Act, which I introduced, to prevent a 
sitting President from unilaterally attacking existing domestic energy 
infrastructure.
  Let's not forget: America was energy independent just 2 short years 
ago. There is a path to regaining that independence and bringing down 
prices at the pump if President Biden will reverse course and flip the 
switch on American energy.
  My constituents cannot afford $5-plus per gallon of gas. They need 
relief. We need relief. America needs relief, and fast.

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