Richard Shea: NH senator, rep doing nothing to help rising gas prices

To The Daily Sun,

I just paid $4.99/gallon for regular gas. Inflation in general and energy costs in particular are having a major impact on Americans and there is no sign of relief. Given the severity of the problem, I felt certain that my senator, Maggie Hassan, and my representative, Chris Pappas, must have detailed action plans proposed or in place.

I went to their websites. Maggie said nothing about inflation, and her plan for gas costs is to remove the federal gas tax temporarily and release more oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. Not surprisingly, the tax would return shortly after the November elections. The reserve release has already been implemented with no discernible effect on prices. Chris Pappas was completely silent, offering not a single measure of any kind.

It’s true that oil is a global commodity, and its price is influenced by a range of geopolitical factors. It’s also true that, like all commodities, its price is primarily determined by supply and demand.

Thanks to American advances in extraction technology, the United States has the proven ability to increase oil production by a significant amount. Unfortunately, the Biden administration has adopted policies, from pipeline cancellations and lease restrictions to stifling regulations, which have effectively ended American energy independence.

We should be doing everything possible to increase domestic oil production. Doing so would lower energy costs by increasing supply. It would provide jobs for American workers. It would help the environment, as American extraction methods are far less polluting than those used elsewhere. Finally, it would support our European allies as they struggle to free themselves from dependence on Russian oil and gas.

We need to move quickly and decisively. If Sen. Hassan and Rep. Pappas can’t support this, they should be voted out in November.

Richard Shea

Alton