Two Iowa Republicans in competitive races for re-election to the U.S. House say the federal government must take steps to bring down the price of diesel.
First District Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks issued a written statement, saying “farmers are filling combines this week at the highest diesel price this state has ever seen, while oil companies ship record amounts of American diesel overseas.” Miller-Meeks said it’s time to “stop the bleeding” and sell American diesel to Americans first and immediately suspend federal and state gas taxes. Miller-Meeks said after that, there are long term fixes, like “ending the open-ended war in Iran.”
Third District Congressman Zach Nunn said in a post on social media that “‘Big Oil’ should be held accountable for price gouging” and “American energy should be sold to Americans first.” He’s also called for 100 MILLION dollars in federal investment in the biodiesel industry.
Christina Bohannan, the Democrat from Iowa City who’s running against Miller-Meeks, said in a video posted online there is “no end in sight to the gas and diesel prices that are hurting farmers and working families” because of the war in Iran. Sarah Trone-Garriott, the Democrat from West Des Moines who’s running against Nunn, said in a social media post that diesel prices show Iowa “can’t afford the war.”
Yesterday, Second District Congresswoman Ashley Hinson proposed creation of a federal Diesel Relief Program for farmers and truckers. She’s also calling for a suspension of the gas tax and a pause in diesel exports. Hinson is running for the .U.S. Senate. Last week, Hinson’s opponent, Democrat Josh Turek, said exports of U.S. produced diesel should be halted and the federal gas tax should be temporarily suspended.