Cantwell asks Trump to help reduce fuel costs
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., teamed up with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Wednesday to ask President Donald Trump to take action.
Their specific request is this: pressure the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to increase the oil supply. The hope is action by the President could decrease the price consumers pay at the pump in time for the summer.
Gas prices have gone up 25 percent since January 1. In Washington, gas prices are the third highest in the country, Cantwell said.
“The American people want to know what the President plans to do about this,” she said.
Schumer said the rising prices cancel out any consumption boost families gained from the tax cuts.
“That’s right, whatever meager benefit working families might have seen from Trump’s tax scam for the rich is being wiped out by the gas prices President Trump is responsible for,” he said.
Cantwell added that the average American household will pay $167 more for fuel this year.
“I guarantee you what they got in the tax break just got washed away in higher fuel prices,” she said.
Cantwell, Schumer and Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., sent a letter pressuring Trump Wednesday to use his authority to improve consumer’s lives and reduce stress on their pocketbooks.
Katy Sword
I cover the city of Vancouver and federal politics. Reach me at katy.sword@columbian.com.