January 1, House Passes Gas “Price Gouging” Bill

House Democrats passed a measure to combat gasoline “price gouging.”

The Hill noted that the measure is unlikely to fare well in the Senate, where it would need 10 Republican votes to advance, “but it’s part of a major messaging push by Democrats as they try to blame the oil industry for skyrocketing prices.”

The bill passed 217-207, along party lines, with Democratic Reps. Stephanie Murphy (FL), Lizzie Fletcher (TX), Kathleen Rice (N.Y.), and Jared Golden (ME) voting against it.

“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,” Fletcher said in a statement. 

“At best, this bill is a distraction that won’t actually address the problem. At worst, it could make the problem more severe,” Murphy said in a statement, citing comments from former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, in which he said the measure could “cause and contrive all kinds of shortages.”

Republicans argued that Democrats were looking to shift the blame for skyrocketing fuel prices.

“First they blamed it on COVID, then they blamed it on Putin…and now they’re blaming it on mom and pop gas stations who are often just struggling to get by,” said Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ).

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House passes gasoline price-gouging bill