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Biden says Hurricane Ian should not be used ‘excuse’ to raise gas prices
- President Joe Biden on Wednesday warned oil and gas companies not to use Hurricane Ian as an ‘excuse’ to raise prices at the pump
- The president opened his remarks at the White House conference on hunger, nutrition and health by talking about Hurricane Ian
- After asking Floridians to comply with evacuation orders, he turned his attention to US oil and gas companies
- “Do no, let me repeat, don’t use this as an excuse to raise gas prices or gouge the American people,” he said.
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President Joe Biden on Wednesday warned oil and gas companies not to use Hurricane Ian as an “excuse” to raise prices at the pump.
The president opened his remarks at the White House conference on hunger, nutrition and health Wednesday morning by asking Floridians to abide by evacuation orders as the Category 4 storm approaches the gulf’s shoreline.
“And if you forgive me, I’d like to add one more caveat,” Biden said. “That’s a warning to oil and gas industry executives: no, let me repeat it, don’t, don’t use this as an excuse to raise gas prices or gouge the American people.”
President Joe Biden on Wednesday warned oil and gas companies not to use Hurricane Ian as an ‘excuse’ to raise prices at the pump
A police patrol drives around St. Pete Beach on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian approaches
Emergency vehicles are the only ones braving the extreme weather on the Sunshine Skyway over Tampa Bay, which has experienced extreme flooding
Photos show water retreating from Tampa Bay, due to the approaching hurricane’s movement, as the same phenomenon occurred just before Hurricane Irma hit
Planes at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines were overturned by a tornado as several tropical storm warnings are in place across the state
Biden pointed out that while oil prices have remained relatively low, gas prices should fall.
The price at the pump has risen again in recent days.
He added that less than 2 percent of US oil production – and only briefly – will be affected by the hurricane.
“This small temporary storm impact on oil production offers no excuse, no excuse for price increases at the pump. None,’ he said. “If gas companies try to use this storm to raise prices at the pump, I’ll ask officials to see if there’s any price push.”
“For Americans watching, the industry should be doing the right thing,” the president added.
Biden also said he had spoken to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on a phone call Tuesday night, a thorn in the side about immigration and other issues in recent months.
“I talked to Governor DeSantis for a while. My team has been in constant contact with him from the start,” Biden said.
During Tuesday’s press conference, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was peppered with questions about why Biden had not called DeSantis.
On Tuesday evening, Jean-Pierre had tweeted that the Democratic president and the possible Republican presidential candidate had met.
Biden added that he had also spoken with the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
“And my message was absolutely clear: we are alert and in action. We’ve approved every request Florida has made for temporary, emergency, long-term aid that I’ve received,” Biden said.
He said hundreds of FEMA employees and members of the National Guard were standing by.
“We don’t know exactly where it will hit, but it’s getting pretty clear where exactly it will hit,” he said.
Biden then begged Floridians to heed the warnings.
“This storm is incredibly dangerous, clearly for the state. It’s life-threatening,” he said. “Evacuate on command.”