Senate Democrats, Republicans urge Biden to tackle rising gas prices

In a rare instance of bipartisanship, senators from both sides of the aisle have written to President Joe Biden voicing concerns over rising gas prices.

In a Nov. 8 letter, 11 Senate Democrats called on President Joe Biden to take measures to combat rising gas prices by tapping into the nation’s emergency oil stockpile or even banning oil exports.

Democratic senate leadership warned that the seven-year high in gas prices “placed an undue burden on families and small businesses trying to make ends meet."

"In light of these pressing concerns, we ask that you consider all tools available at your disposal to lower US gasoline prices. This includes a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and a ban on crude oil exports," the Democratic lawmakers said.

Democratic signatories included Senators Jack Reed, Robert Casey, Patrick Leahy, Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal.

Similarly, a Nov. 4 letter signed by 19 Senate Republicans urged the President to work with American energy producers to solve the issue before winter temperatures set in.

“These increased prices are projected to raise the heating bills of the 47 percent of American homes that rely on natural gas for heating and the 40 percent of American homes heated with electricity, the price of which is increasingly reflective of natural gas prices,” Republicans warned.

GOP senators, however, warned the Administration against implementing any new regulations, including "any proposal to ban natural gas imports or exports.”

“To ease natural gas price increases, your Administration should end the regulatory uncertainty that is plaguing our economy by publicly announcing it will not support any future regulations that inhibit or tax existing or near-term natural gas production levels,” the letter stated.

Republican senators that signed the letter include Ted Cruz, Bill Cassidy, Cindy Hyde-Smith and John Kennedy.