Rep. Andy Harris calling on President Biden, Md. legislature to combat soaring gas prices
MARYLAND – U.S. Representative Andy Harris is calling on President Joe Biden and Maryland’s legislature to do more to combat soaring gas prices. Monday, he and Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga held a press conference to do just that.
Rep. Harris says he hopes the Maryland General Assembly will suspend its upcoming 7 cent increase in gas tax, and gas tax as a whole, for the next year. Maryland’s gas tax increase is set to go into effect on July 1st. Suspending it would require the legislature to convene in a special session.
“There’s plenty of money in the Maryland surplus. It’s $7 billion dollars. Most of it is from the federal government for COVID-19 relief,” said Rep. Harris. “There’s no need to worry that you’re not going to pay for roads, build roads. We have plenty of money to do that without this gas tax. And, going forward, the only relief we’re going to have really is if the administration changes policy, and makes America a leading energy producer in the world, once again.”
Meanwhile, the Congressman says President Biden should be setting his sights on making America a leading energy producer once again. “The president would have to announce that he’s actually going to reopen the Keystone XL pipeline, open the regulatory process for that. He should announce that he’s going to stop the moratorium of leasing of gas exploration on federal lands,” he said. “I think the industry would respond by making the investments necessary to increase output, drive down the price of oil, and ultimately the price of gas and diesel.”
Plus, Rep. Harris says he thinks that if America becomes a leader in energy production again, it could bring down gas prices globally. That in turn, could help not just help Americans save money, but cripple Russia’s chances in its invasion of Ukraine, according to Rep. Harris.
“If President Biden and Democrats holding leadership offices at the federal and state level were serious about this crisis, they would stop the blame game and focus on putting Americans to work and returning American energy independence,” he said.
