From August 31, 2022 post
Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) demanded President Biden act swiftly to limit US crude oil and natural gas exports to address rising energy prices for American families ahead of the coming winter months.
This week he also introduced the Lowering Inflated Heating, Energy, and Air Conditioning Prices Act, which would ensure the state of New Hampshire has the flexibility to provide LIHEAP assistance to as many Granite Staters as possible this coming winter.
“As winter approaches, it’s unconscionable that the United States would continue exporting oil instead of ensuring that American families have access to the lowest cost gas, natural gas, and heating oil possible,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “Gas prices have fallen, but we know that the repeal of the crude oil export ban is directly associated with higher prices. We ought to reinstate this ban and instate a ban on natural gas exports, and I’m calling for President Biden to do so immediately in order to further lower prices.”
“But this is just one step we must take for our families. We must build on this by finally taking up legislation to suspend the gas tax and move the United States closer to energy independence while ensuring big oil can’t rip off our families. I’ll keep fighting to move these bills forward to lower costs for Granite Staters.”
Today, Pappas also announced his "Lower Energy Costs Agenda," a package of legislation and priorities that he will continue to advocate for to lower the cost of gas, heating oil, and energy for Granite Staters.
Pappas’s Lower Energy Costs Agenda includes the following priorities:
Reinstating a ban on crude oil exports, which was originally implemented in 1975 and lifted by a Republican Congress in December 2015. The crude oil export ban prohibited most crude oil exports from the United States to other countries but preserved the president's ability to impose restrictions on exports for one year in response to certain economic or national security emergencies. The Government Accountability Office found that the repeal is associated with higher prices for consumers.
Banning natural gas exports, which nearly half of all U.S. homes utilize for heating.
The Lowering Inflated Heating, Energy, and Air Conditioning Prices Act (LIHEAP Act), which Pappas introduced this week, would give states the authority to expand LIHEAP eligibility to meet additional need caused by inflation, and ensure that New Hampshire has the flexibility to provide LIHEAP assistance to as many Granite Staters as possible this coming winter.
The Gas Prices Relief Act, which Pappas co-sponsored, and would suspend the federal gas tax.
The Inflation Reduction Act included provisions to enact the Home Energy Savings Act, which was co-sponsored by Pappas and would provide tax credits for the purchase of energy-efficient home energy appliances, which reduce costs for users. The Inflation Reduction Act will also lower energy costs by investing in green technology and subsidizing the purchase and installation of these efficient energy technologies.
The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, which supports increased production of American-made biofuels, which are substantially cheaper than traditional oil and gas.
The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, which included provisions to enact Pappas’s Transportation Fuel Market Transparency Act, giving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the power to penalize oil companies if they inflate the price of gasoline, as well as provisions authored by Pappas to establish a new unit at the FTC devoted to monitoring fuel markets in order to facilitate transparent and competitive market practices, target bad actors by identifying fuel market manipulation, and empower the FTC to hold those responsible accountable.
And heeding Pappas’s calls, the Biden Administration previously announced the largest release of oil reserves in American history to address rising costs, New Hampshire was awarded a record level LIHEAP assistance this past winter, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act awarded New Hampshire millions of dollars for weatherization assistance.
Original source can be found here.
