President Joe Biden gave a firm warning to gas companies not to use Hurricane Ian as an excuse to raise prices for Floridians and other people affected by the storm.
Biden’s comments came during a speech at the second-ever White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health as hurricane winds and rains had already started to fall in Florida.
TOO LATE TO LEAVE: DIRE NEW WARNINGS AS HURRICANE IAN BARRELS DOWN ON FLORIDA
“Do not, let me repeat, do not use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices or gouge the American people,” Biden said near the top of his remarks. “The price of oil has stayed relatively low and has kept going down. Gas should be going down as well.”
Biden said the White House estimates the storm will cause oil production to slow by only 190,000 barrels per day, less than 2% of daily U.S. production.
“This small temporary storm impact on oil production provides no excuse, no excuse, no excuse for price increases at the pump. None,” he said.
The president added that he will direct federal officials to investigate any companies that do raise prices to determine whether “price gouging is going on.”
“America is watching. The industry should do the right thing,” Biden said. “In fact, they should move more quickly now to bring down the price at the pump because gasoline is down a great deal.”
Ian progressed to a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday morning, and experts believe it could strengthen to a Category 5 before hitting Florida.
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You can watch Biden’s remarks in full below.
