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Energy Sec. Granholm denies high gas prices are result of Biden admin policies during spar with Hawley

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm insisted Thursday that policies implemented under the Biden administration had no impact on the rising energy prices Americans have faced since Biden took office last year.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday, Granholm was questioned by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on what the administration is doing to lower energy prices across America and whether she believes policies put forth by President Biden are to blame for the higher costs.

Citing the cost of gasoline in his home state of Missouri, as well as projections for even higher gasoline prices during the summer months, Hawley asked Granholm whether she believed the current energy crisis Americans are facing is “acceptable.”

“No it is not,” she said. “And you can thank the activity of Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine and pulling essentially–”

“Oh nonsense,” Hawley interjected. “With all due respect, madam secretary, that’s utter nonsense. In January 2021, the average gas price in my state was $2.07. Eight months later, eight months later, long before Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, that price was up over 30% and it’s been going up consistently since. What are you doing to reverse this administration’s policies that are drawing down our own supply of energy in this country that are throttling oil and gas production in the United States?”

“With respect, sir, it is not administration policies that have effected supply and demand,” she responded, shortly before Hawley interjected again.

“Here’s what your president did when he first came to office,” Hawley said to Granholm. “He immediately reentered the Paris Climate Accord, he canceled the Keystone pipeline, he halted leasing programs in ANWR, he issued a 60-day halt on all new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters — that’s nationwide and accounts for 25% of U.S. oil production — he directed federal agencies to eliminate all supports for fossil fuels, he imposed new regulations on oil and gas and methane emissions. Those were all just in the first few days. Are you telling me that’s had no effect on our energy supply?”

Granholm then began discussing a survey that, according to her, found “94% of the oil and gas executives” believe “administration policies had nothing to do with the increase in price of oil.”

“I’m not interested in opinions of those people, I’m interested in facts,” Hawley responded.