Amid uncertainty in a vital global shipping lane brought on by the conflict with Iran, gas pump prices are way up.
Some in Congress think that could be a problem for their constituents and for Republicans’ chances in the midterms.
“Naturally, we’re all really concerned,” Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., told The Daily Signal of the gas prices.
Nevertheless, Justice framed it as part of the cost of taking on Iran.
“We know we’ve got a big-time threat with Iran,” Justice said. “What are we going to do, just say, ‘It’s OK, you go on and do what you’re going to do’? We can’t do that.”
“It creates a pressure, but gas prices were a lot higher under [former President Joe] Biden,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told The Daily Signal, adding, “This is at least [high] gas prices caused by a worthy goal.”
Uncertainty
Gas prices have surged as Iran has attacked oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
According to the International Energy Agency, “around 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade” passes through the strait.
As of Thursday, the average price per gallon of gas at the pump is $3.59 in the United States, per AAA.
One month ago, the average price was $2.94. The highest recorded average price of regular unleaded gasoline was over five dollars in June 2022.
In response, President Donald Trump is tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an underground emergency stockpile.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told The Daily Signal in a statement that Trump “will not allow the terrorist Iranian regime to threaten the American people or disrupt the global economy by stopping the free flow of energy.”
She added, “President Trump has been clear that these are short-term disruptions and that Americans will see oil and gas prices drop rapidly again once the necessary objectives of Operation Epic Fury have been achieved and the regime’s capabilities are neutralized.”
Midterms
The gas prices have provoked some grumbling from Capitol Hill Republicans, especially ahead of midterm elections in which both sides are claiming to offer an “affordable” future for voters.
“High oil prices will be a problem,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said of the midterms in a recent Fox News interview.
“If you add in high gas prices, high oil prices … if there’s still kinetic action that causes oil to be over a hundred dollars [per barrel], I think you’re going to see a disastrous election.”
Rogers told The Daily Signal of the midterms, “President Trump is the unequivocal leader of the Republican party, and he is committed to maintaining Republicans’ majority in Congress to continue delivering wins for the American people.”
Should Congress Intervene?
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who believes the United States military should “wrap up” soon in Iran, thinks Congress ought to intervene on behalf of consumers.
“I’m concerned about gas prices. Of course, you know, the Congress, we could do something about that,” he told The Daily Signal.
“We can suspend the gas tax, which is like 20 cents a gallon. That would account for a large portion of the increase over the last week.”
Democrat Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut have a bill to institute a federal gas tax holiday, suspending the 18.4 cent-per-gallon tax until October.
“Families across Arizona are dealing with high costs on almost everything, and now gas prices are skyrocketing because Donald Trump started a war with Iran,” Kelly said in a statement in support of bill.
“Arizona families shouldn’t pay the price for Donald Trump’s bad decisions. Suspending the federal gas tax would help bring prices down.”
Johnson expressed openness to the idea but similarly indicated it would not be a silver bullet to undo the gas price hike.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” he told The Daily Signal. “It’s not going to do a whole lot, because state taxes are a lot more onerous than federal taxes. I mean, check with California.”
Justice was similarly skeptical that a gas tax holiday would be of much help.
“That’s like kissing your sister. I mean, that’s not going to really help, and that’s not going to really do anything in life,” he told The Daily Signal. “That’s a Band-Aid for cancer.”
Justice did not rule out supporting such a measure, but said if “the straits get blocked, we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg as for what’s going to happen. This could go really high.”
Voters “are really hurting,” Justice added. “We should always be really compassionate.”
“If we don’t hear them, [it’s a] mistake. We’ve got a midterm to consider. It’s right at our doorstep here.”
