Biden takes heat from swing state Democrat over high gas prices plaguing his constituents: ‘Disappointing’
Fox News
FIRST ON FOX: President Biden is facing heat from one swing state Democrat imploring him to take action on the high gas prices plaguing the people of this state.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, the likely Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Arizona, sent a letter to Biden on Wednesday, requesting he specifically moves to provide relief for Western states, as he did for states in the Northeast last month.
“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 wrote. “I therefore request that your administration take similar actions to address gas prices in the Western United States.”
Biden announced the release of more than 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve in an attempt to lower prices, but his administration noted the relief was specifically to ensure “sufficient supply flows to the tri-state (area) and Northeast” between Memorial Day and July 4th.
Arizona, meanwhile, is dealing with some of the highest gas prices in the country. The average price of gas across the state is $3.67 per gallon, according to AAA. The national average is $3.47.
Gallego argued that although he supported the actions the administration had taken to lower costs, “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.”
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“This is tremendously disappointing, since the gas prices faced by Arizonans remain consistently higher than the national average,” he wrote.
Gallego also requested Biden uphold parity between the states by maintaining whatever action he takes through the rest of the summer.
“We cannot leave Arizonans to deal with steep gas prices alone while other regions see greater relief.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.