OPINION: Graves on the ‘Gas Tax Holiday Gimmick’

U.S. Congressman Garret Graves released the following statement on Wednesday afternoon:

“Last night, white smoke was visible from the White House chimney – they had found another gimmick. The Biden Administration is so determined to ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’ but their decisions are so stupid that they can’t even figure out they are Peter. President Biden’s effort is designed to temporarily reduce gas prices by 18 cents a gallon, meanwhile, gas has increased by $2 a gallon under his Administration. Do the math. We need a permanent $2 a gallon reduction – not a temporary 18 cents reduction – and that’s done by returning to rational energy policies. Even President Obama called this a gimmick before. The Biden Administration’s energy policy is a sinking ship, and they are using a sippy cup to get the water out instead of addressing the root cause of the problems. Gas prices have more than doubled since President Biden came into office and his administration’s continued unforced errors and self-imposed mistakes will keep hurting those that can least afford it. We have abundant resources right here at home but instead of producing more domestic energy, they are pushing pink slips,” Graves said. “A gas tax holiday would also create further deficits for transportation projects and exacerbate our traffic problems. It would delay investments such as a new Mississippi River Bridge, the new I-10 lane at the I-10/I-12 split, and more. Between the border, crime, hurricane protection, and now roads – the Biden Administration just wants to defund everything and make every aspect of our lives less safe.”