Never-Ending Flood of Problems Coming Out of President Biden's White House

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Tennessee for this opportunity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the historic inflation and soaring gas prices that are hurting American families all across America.

You know, as my good friend from Wisconsin was saying earlier, he talked about the 8.6 percent inflation rate and how that doesn't seem to jive with the American public. It just doesn't seem like it could possibly be 8.6 percent.

My good friend talked about the inflation rate in the building industry. We are just going to talk a little bit about gas, for example, 106.7 percent; butter, margarine, 20.2 percent up; milk, up 15.9 percent; pork up 13.3 percent.

How in the world can the official inflation rate actually be 8.6 percent? It doesn't make sense, Mr. Burchett. It doesn't make sense, and every American out there knows it.

I am here to tell you that the sky-high prices that we see at stores and at the pump are, in large part, thanks to Democrats' planned policies to force the U.S. off of fossil fuels.

On President Biden's first day in office, he ended the XL Pipeline, the Keystone XL Pipeline, suspended drilling permits, and froze oil and gas leases on public lands. The Biden administration successfully brought domestic energy production to a halt.

Just 19 months ago, if you can remember, America was energy independent: $2.30-odd cents a gallon. Since then, we have seen gas more than double in price.

Now, with the volatility in international oil markets caused by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, it is past time for the United States to bolster again our energy independence.

Yet, instead of turning to our domestic suppliers of oil and gas, the Biden administration has turned to corrupt regimes like Venezuela, or they have gone to Saudi Arabia, or they are going.

Americans across the country are struggling to fuel their cars and power their homes and businesses. Recent reports show that the average household is going to spend $5,000 more on gas this year.

That is $5,000 that won't go into rising grocery bills and other costs of living increases, and we will call it 8.6 percent inflation, but we know it is more.

The only way to alleviate the pressure Americans feel at the gas pump is to refocus our efforts on rebuilding America's energy independence.

That is why I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. This bill would restart the Keystone XL pipeline, expand natural gas exports to our allies abroad, and restart oil and gas production right here in the United States.

Passing this bill is a crucial step in both reducing the price of gas and strengthening our economy. It is time for the Biden administration to take responsibility for this crisis, rein in spending, and take action to increase Americans' energy independence.

This incredible transition, as the President called it, has destroyed the very economy that had the potential to create the capital that was necessary and will be necessary, the capital that we could use to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy in a smooth and seamless process.

That would have given us the capital for the conservation, the innovation, the adaptability, but all of that is gone.

I ask the President to return us to American energy independence and let loose America's industrial might.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source