PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Crude oil supply concerns after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted a gas price increase. U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, who is running for reelection in November, was quick to blame it on President Joe Biden on Sunday.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated his attack in Ukraine, Biden resisted calls to ban Russian oil imports to the U.S. — until Friday. During This Week In South Florida, Gimenez criticized Biden for dubbing it “Putin’s price hike.”
Gimenez said Biden could learn from Putin’s playbook on Europe’s energy dependency and he accused Biden of waging a “war on the petroleum industry” in the U.S. and on increasing Americans’ dependence on foreign oil.
“We were pumping over a million barrels a day more before Biden got into office,” Gimenez said.
The former Miami-Dade County mayor is among the Republicans who want the Biden administration to get rid of the regulations that are preventing the U.S. from boosting production.
“Why can’t it be us making money off of energy?”
Gimenez said he has “no problem” with alternative energy sources, but the global demand for fossil fuels will continue to increase and the U.S. needs to meet that demand.
“I also believe that we can do this in a way that it does protect the environment. And when the world is going to need more and more fossil fuels, no matter what we do here in the United States, it should be American fuel.”
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Complete episode of This Week In South Florida
This Week In South Florida with Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney includes discussions on the price of gas, the Florida legislature, and the firing of the police chief in Fort Lauderdale.
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Local 10 News’ Sarah Ramdin contributed to this report.