Log in
Senate Republicans remain deadlocked over how exactly to lower gas prices ahead of the fast-approaching November midterms.
asserted
Republicans → log → midterms
In recent months, GOP senators have floated several proposals, including suspending the federal gas tax and temporarily banning diesel exports.
asserted
senators → float → exports
But regional rivalries, fiscal disputes and doubts that legislation can meaningfully ease pressure at the pump have stalled those efforts, The Hill reported.
asserted
Hill → ease → efforts
“You’re talking about regional politics, and it gets bogged down in the politics of energy, and the fiefdoms around it,” Ron Bonjean, a GOP strategist, told the outlet.
asserted
Bonjean → talk → outlet
Gas prices remain high as the Iran war rolls on and continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
asserted
war → remain → Hormuz
On Thursday, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline stood at $4.36, up from $2.98 two days before the war began in February, according to AAA.
uncertain
war → stand → AAA
Many Americans view high gas prices as a major problem, and a majority pin the blame on President Donald Trump, polls show.
asserted
polls → view → Trump
While Trump has described elevated fuel costs as a “small price to pay” for neutralizing Iran, some Republicans have raised concerns of a midterm backlash.
asserted
Republicans → describe → backlash
One proposal to lower fuel costs was a 90-day ban on diesel exports, which Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley put forward last month.
asserted
Grassley → lower → which
“With diesel at $6, the best thing Trump could do is follow what a Republican president did in the ’70s and a Democrat president did in the ’70s,” Grassley said.
uncertain
Grassley → do → 70s
Trump, he said, “should put an embargo on diesel leaving the country.”
asserted
diesel → say → country
Trump expressed interest but Republican senators from oil-producing states pushed back.
asserted
senators → express → states
“One thing we know for sure is that export bans don’t have a negative price impact, particularly with a commodity like that that’s globally traded and globally priced,” North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer said.
asserted
Cramer → know → that
Texas Senator John Cornyn described the proposal as a “gimmick.”
asserted
Cornyn → describe → gimmick
A separate effort to suspend the federal gas tax also ran into Republican resistance.
asserted
effort → suspend → resistance
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley introduced legislation in May after Trump endorsed a temporary pause.
uncertain
Trump → introduce → pause
“President Trump has proposed to suspend the federal gas tax and he’s exactly right,” Hawley said at the time.
asserted
Hawley → propose → time
“American workers and families deserve immediate relief and this legislation will do just that.
asserted
legislation → deserve → that
But fiscal hawks, including Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, raised concerns about the loss of revenue used to fund roads.
asserted
hawks → include → roads
“I hate taxes, I wish that there weren’t a gas tax but I also like driving on the road.
asserted
I → hate → road
It’s a huge amount of money that just quits coming in,” Paul said in May when asked about suspending the tax.
uncertain
Paul → ’ → tax
Another proposal that has yet to materialize would reduce restrictions on E15 gasoline, a blend containing 15 percent ethanol.
asserted
that → have → ethanol
“It would bring it down right now, some people think, as much as 30 cents a gallon — do voluntary E15 nationwide.
asserted
people → bring → E15
It’s there now.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s an American product,” South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds told The Hill.
asserted
Rounds → ’ → Hill
Rounds also called for ramping up American refining capacity.
asserted
Rounds → call → capacity
That proposal, too, drew opposition from senators representing oil-rich states, who argued that promoting E15 would make small refiners worse off.
asserted
refiners → draw → E15
But, even if GOP senators were to reach a consensus, it’s unlikely that legislation alone could quickly and meaningfully bring down the price at the pump, according to strategists and oil industry executives.
uncertain
legislation → reach → strategists
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz, they have said, is the best option.
asserted
they → reopen → Hormuz
“The truth of the matter is there’s no replacement for the strait,” American Petroleum Institute CEO Mike Sommers said in March.
asserted
Sommers → ’ → March
“That is the critical piece that has to be done and done quickly.”
asserted
that → have → ?
The Aporia
.jpeg?trim=219,0,181,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
