Gas prices rocketed over $5 per gallon on average in Ohio today, a nearly $0.10 jump overnight forecasting price acceleration that may not slow down anytime soon.
Rep. Tim Ryan – who votes with Joe Biden 100% of the time – bears responsibility for these skyrocketing gas prices. Ryan has repeatedly sided with Joe Biden and Democrats’ anti-American energy agenda that is making the gas crisis worse.
- Tim Ryan voted for Build Back Better, which cancelled oil drilling in ANWR and prohibited offshore drilling in large swaths of America’s coast. (H.R. 5376, CQ Vote #385: Passed 220-213: R 0-212; D 220-1, 11/19/21, Ryan, Voted Yea)
- In January 2021, Ryan came out in support of President Joe Biden suspending new oil and gas drilling on federally owned land and “stressed this doesn’t stop fracking or drilling and only restricts new drilling on federally owned property.” “U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan said President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat, did the right thing by suspending new oil and gas drilling on federally owned lands and waters, while U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson and Dave Joyce, both Republicans, said the decision damages the nation’s energy supply.” (David Skolnick, “Biden drilling order shows opposition,” The Vindicator, 1/31/21)
- Build Back Better includes a methane tax that would increase costs for oil and gas producers by up to $10 billion per year. (Katy Stech Ferek and Siobhan Hughes, “Rising Natural-Gas Prices Pose Hurdle for Methane Tax,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/15/21)
- VIDEO: In 2008, Tim Ryan said “… if you begin drilling in ANWR and if you start the process today, it will be 10 years from now before you get one drop of oil out of ANWR.” TIM RYAN: “One of the issues that keeps coming up is: Why don’t we keep drilling? Why don’t we drill in ANWR? That will solve our problem. I’m sure, in the next special order, the folks who are paying attention to this debate will get the other side of this. But from our perspective and from what the analysts are telling us, if you begin drilling in ANWR and if you start the process today, it will be 10 years from now before you get one drop of oil out of ANWR. If you continue, in 10 years, you will get 40,000 barrels of oil a day in a market that has 80 million barrels of oil. In 20 years, you will get yourself up to about 800,000 barrels of oil a day, and you will reduce the cost of a gallon of gas by 1.8 cents per gallon. Now, that is 20 years from now. So, if we start today, in 20 years, we will have a savings of 1.8 cents per gallon of gas. From our perspective, that is not a long-term strategy.”
- VIDEO: RYAN: “Even if we do get in the oil shale, the United States cannot drill its way into energy independence. I don’t know why that is — that’s so hard for people to believe.” (Fox News Channel’s, “Hannity & Colmes,” 6/12/08, Video Begins at 1:30)
- In November 2014, Ryan said he voted against the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline over “significant concerns with the environmental, safety, economic and trade issues…” “First and foremost, I have significant concerns with the environmental, safety, economic and trade issues associated with this proposed project. The Keystone Pipeline will carry up to 830,000 barrels of Canadian tar sands oil across the United States to the Gulf Coast to be refined and sold to the global market. The Canadian economy and TransCanada Corp. will see almost all the benefits, while the United States takes on all the risk. Tar sands oil is the dirtiest, most toxic and environmentally dangerous fossil fuel in the world. The existing portion of the pipeline has already suffered 12 spills in its first 12 months of operation, more spills than any other first year pipeline in American history. There is no doubt it is poisoning American lands and aquifers.” (Rep. Tim Ryan, “Congressman Tim Ryan Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Vote,” Press Release, 11/14/14)
- Ryan said the pipeline “is not going to lower gas prices and it will not create jobs in Ohio.” “Furthermore, over fifty percent of the steel being used is produced by foreign companies. The Keystone Pipeline is not going to lower gas prices and it will not create jobs in Ohio. This legislation, in particular, includes a regulatory loophole that exempts TransCanada Corp. from any oil spill clean-up efforts or costs – putting the burden solely on the backs of the American tax-payer. After careful review I do not believe that the creation of this Keystone Pipeline is in the best interest of the people of Ohio or our nation.” (Rep. Tim Ryan, “Congressman Tim Ryan Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Vote,” Press Release, 11/14/14)
- On June 24, 2014, Ryan voted against a bill expediting environmental reviews of future oil pipelines that cross international borders and eliminates “the current system created by executive orders under which a presidential permit must be issued.” “Passage of the bill that would require future oil and gas pipeline projects and power lines that cross international borders to be reviewed by the State or Energy secretary within 120 days of the environmental review, unless the agency finds the project is not in the public interest of the United States. It would eliminate the current system created by executive orders under which a presidential permit must be issued.” (H.R. 3301, CQ Vote #354: Passed 238-173: R 221-1; D 17-172, 6/24/14, Ryan Voted Nay)
- On July 19, 2017, Ryan voted against a bill eliminating regulations over approval and permitting of border-crossing oil and gas pipelines. “Passage of the bill that would establish a new system for the approval and permitting of border-crossing oil and gas pipelines and electrical transmission lines. The bill would require sponsors of border-crossing oil pipelines and electricity transmission facilities that cross the U.S. borders into Canada and Mexico to receive a “certificate of crossing” from the relevant federal agency in order to build or modify their projects, thereby eliminating the need for a presidential permit. The bill would eliminate the requirement under current law that the Energy Department approve the transmission of electricity from the U.S. to another country.” (H.R. 2883, CQ Vote #398: Passed 254-175: R 237-0; D 17-175, 7/19/17, Ryan Voted Nay)
- During his presidential campaign, Ryan supported rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement. “Yes. It is truly shameful that the United States is the only nation to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. As the richest and most powerful nation, we should not only be leading the fight stop climate change, but we should be working to reverse it.” (“Here 2020 Democrats Stand On Climate Change,” The Washington Post, Accessed 3/1/21)
“Tim Ryan and Joe Biden are putting their liberal ideology over relief for Ohioans. This is a years-long effort to suffocate American energy production and drive up gas prices that is finally reaching fruition, which goes to show the pain is the point. Ryan and Biden won’t stop until Ohioans simply can’t afford the gas in their vehicles to get to work, school, daycare, or church.” -SLF Communications Director Jack Pandol