WASHINGTON D.C. [11/23/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said the Biden Administration plans’ to release oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is good news for hardworking Minnesota families who have been struggling to cope with the rising gas prices.
The announcement comes two weeks after Sen. Smith and eleven Senate Democrats pressed the administration to take action to ease gas prices, including by releasing supply from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The Senators said that recent decisions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) threaten to push prices higher and the move to release oil from the Strategic Reserve will help to make gasoline more affordable for all Americans.
“The Biden Administration’s decision to release oil from the nation’s Strategic Reserve could not have come soon enough for the many Minnesotans who are feeling the effects of rising gas prices,” said Sen. Smith. “While it is imperative that the U.S. move to electric, low-carbon, and biofuel transportation as quickly as possible—and I am working hard on policies to accelerate that transition—today’s decision is critical for ensuring that hardworking Minnesotans can afford to fill up their cars at the pump in the meantime. I’ll continue to fight for relief for Minnesotans as we continue to recover from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
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