WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) led 18 of their House Republican colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concern over his recent actions encouraging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan to investigate oil and gas companies based on inaccurate allegations concerning rising gasoline prices.
The cause for the dramatic gasoline price increase is largely due to your Administration’s energy policies that have stifled our domestic energy industry, not unsubstantiated allegations of anti-consumer behavior,” the members wrote to President Biden.
The members continued, “Your request for an FTC investigation into gasoline prices is nothing more than misdirection to avert the public’s attention from your Administration’s failed energy policies. The suggested antitrust investigation is an inappropriate response to market effects caused by government action. If your true intention is to lower consumer costs for American households at the gas pump, we encourage you to pursue a more effective approach by reversing these policies and empowering our domestic oil and gas industry to restore the energy independence that we recently enjoyed.”
Pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to share information they have that prompted the investigation request. Recently, FTC Commissioners Noah Phillips and Christine Wilson wrote to National Economic Council Director Brian Deese asking him to provide evidence in the White House’s possession of potentially illegal conduct behind high gas prices.
Members joining Fitzgerald and Armstrong on the letter are Greg Pence (R-IN), Scott Perry (R-PA), David McKinley (R-WV), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Greg Steube (R-FL), Bob Latta (R-OH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Michael Guest (R-MS), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Troy Balderson (R-OH), David Valadao (R-CA), Liz Cheney (R-WY), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Ben Cline (R-VA), and Michael Burgess (R-TX).
The Members’ full letter to President Biden can be found here.
