Armstrong, GOP colleagues oppose Biden’s push for FTC investigation over gas prices

U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) led 19 of his Republican colleagues in denouncing President Joe Biden’s request that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate oil and gas companies.

“We write to express our concern regarding your November 17, 2021, letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan that encouraged an investigation into oil and gas companies based on inaccurate allegations concerning retail gasoline prices,” the members wrote in their letter to Biden. “It is obvious that your request for an FTC investigation is an attempt to distract the public from soaring retail gasoline prices that are a consequence of several ill-advised energy policies implemented by your administration.”

Rep. Armstrong and his colleagues pointed out that the cause for gasoline price increases is largely due to the Biden administration’s energy policies, which they noted have stifled the domestic energy industry, according to their letter.

For instance, the administration revoked a cross-border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and there are concerns that it will also shut down the Enbridge 5 pipeline, wrote the members. 

Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Interior continues litigation to stop oil and gas permits on federal lands, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently paused processing for several Clean Water Act Section 404 Nationwide Permits, they wrote. 

“Finally, there are several proposals in the Build Back Better Act that will place additional upward pressure on gasoline prices nationwide,” wrote Rep. Kelly and the lawmakers. “These policies have increased costs for energy producers, particularly domestic producers, with the inevitable result being higher gasoline prices for American consumers.”

The members called Biden’s antitrust investigation “an inappropriate response to market effects caused by government action.”

“If your true intention is to lower consumer costs for American households at the gas pump, we encourage you to pursue a more effective approach by reversing these policies and empowering our domestic oil and gas industry to restore the energy independence that we recently enjoyed,” the lawmakers wrote.

Among the members who joined Rep. Armstrong in signing the letter are U.S. Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Bob Latta (R-OH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Troy Balderson (R-OH), David Valadao (R-CA), Buddy Carter (R-GA), and Michael Burgess (R-TX).