Republicans know they need to bring down gas prices - but can’t stop feuding to do so

Republicans know they need to bring down gas prices - but can’t stop feuding to do so Americans view high gas prices as a major problem and most pin the blame on President Donald Trump, polls find - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Senate Republicans remain deadlocked over how exactly to lower gas prices ahead of the fast-approaching November midterms. In recent months, GOP senators have floated several proposals, including suspending the federal gas tax and temporarily banning diesel exports. But regional rivalries, fiscal disputes and doubts that legislation can meaningfully ease pressure at the pump have stalled those efforts, The Hill reported. “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. Gas prices remain high as the Iran war rolls on and continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of 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. Many Americans view high gas prices as a major problem, and a majority pin the blame on President Donald Trump, polls show. 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. One proposal to lower fuel costs was a 90-day ban on diesel exports, which Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley put forward last month. “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. Trump, he said, “should put an embargo on diesel leaving the country.” Trump expressed interest but Republican senators from oil-producing states pushed back. “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. Texas Senator John Cornyn described the proposal as a “gimmick.” A separate effort to suspend the federal gas tax also ran into Republican resistance. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley introduced legislation in May after Trump endorsed a temporary pause. “President Trump has proposed to suspend the federal gas tax and he’s exactly right,” Hawley said at the time. “American workers and families deserve immediate relief and this legislation will do just that.” But fiscal hawks, including Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, raised concerns about the loss of revenue used to fund roads. “I hate taxes, I wish that there weren’t a gas tax but I also like driving on the road. It’s a huge amount of money that just quits coming in,” Paul said in May when asked about suspending the tax. Another proposal that has yet to materialize would reduce restrictions on E15 gasoline, a blend containing 15 percent ethanol. “It would bring it down right now, some people think, as much as 30 cents a gallon — do voluntary E15 nationwide. It would be immediately available. It’s there now. It’s an American product,” South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds told The Hill. Rounds also called for ramping up American refining capacity. That proposal, too, drew opposition from senators representing oil-rich states, who argued that promoting E15 would make small refiners worse off. 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. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz, they have said, is the best option. “The truth of the matter is there’s no replacement for the strait,” American Petroleum Institute CEO Mike Sommers said in March. “That is the critical piece that has to be done and done quickly.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments