In a recent development first reported by Fox News, President Biden is under fire from a prominent Democrat from the swing state of Arizona, who is urging the President to address the soaring gas prices that are burdening the state's residents.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, the anticipated Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Arizona, penned a letter to President Biden this past Wednesday. In his letter, Gallego called for the President to extend the same relief to Western states that he had previously granted to Northeastern states. "Arizona families and business owners should not have to pay almost a dollar more than people in other states to get to work and move through their communities," Gallego stated. He further implored, "I therefore request that your administration take similar actions to address gas prices in the Western United States."
Last month, President Biden authorized the release of over 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve in an effort to mitigate high gas prices. However, the administration clarified that this relief was specifically designed to ensure "sufficient supply flows to the tri-state (area) and Northeast" between Memorial Day and July 4th.
Meanwhile, Arizona is grappling with some of the highest gas prices nationwide. As per AAA, the average price of gas across the state stands at $3.67 per gallon, significantly higher than the national average of $3.47.
Despite expressing support for the administration's efforts to reduce costs, Gallego contended that "it would be nearly impossible for Arizona entities to transport the gas to our state because of limited pipeline capacity and requirements in the Jones Act." He expressed his disappointment, stating, "This is tremendously disappointing, since the gas prices faced by Arizonans remain consistently higher than the national average."
Gallego further urged President Biden to ensure parity among the states by maintaining any relief measures throughout the summer. He emphasized, "We cannot leave Arizonans to deal with steep gas prices alone while other regions see greater relief."
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