Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) released the following statement after voting against the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, H.R. 7688:

“Understanding the real impacts of higher prices of gas and consumer goods on people across the country, I appreciate and support efforts to address them.  But this legislation is not the answer.  Higher gasoline prices we are seeing at the pump are the result of a lack of upstream inventory and a loss of refining capacity—challenges arising, in part, from decreased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Market demand is high while supply is low, in a volatile world market, and that is leading to higher gasoline prices.  

“The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act would not fix high gasoline prices at the pump, and has the potential to exacerbate the supply shortage our country is facing, leading to even worse outcomes.  For these reasons, I voted no on this legislation today.

“Our energy ecosystem in this country and around the world is complex, as are the challenges we face in this moment.  We need smart policies in place that enable American energy companies to increase production, which will increase supply, bring prices down, and replace Russian oil and gas in the global marketplace.  I am committed to working with my colleagues to enact energy policies that do so while at the same time advancing our environmental and climate goals.”