California’s sky-high gas prices are being blasted by lawmakers in Congress as one Republican is now making it an official issue.
Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-41) rolled out a resolution Tuesday labeling the state’s energy policies as a wallet-busting, security-risking mess, accusing leaders of choking off oil production and driving up costs for everyone — including the military.
“California’s radical anti-energy policies are having a devastating effect on our economy as well as our national security,” Calvert said, warning that heavy reliance on foreign oil could leave the US vulnerable.
The move comes as Californians continue to get hammered at the pump — something Calvert tore into in a recent op-ed.
“California is leading the nation – in all the wrong ways,” he wrote. “The Golden State has the highest unemployment rate, highest income taxes, highest fraud activity, and is the most unaffordable state in the country.”
Gas prices are a prime example, he argued, noting drivers are paying far above the national average — and not just because of global conflicts.
“It will not be because of a natural disaster, or a conflict in a far-off place, but because failed energy policies have hollowed out the backbone of the California economy and made California reliant on foreign oil imports,” Calvert wrote.
He also took aim at the layers of taxes and fees baked into every gallon.
“All in, Californians are paying around $1.10-$1.40 per gallon in state taxes, climate programs, and regulatory costs alone.”
Meanwhile, stricter regulations have pushed refineries to shut down and production to plummet, he said — forcing the state to lean more heavily on foreign oil.
“Let’s be clear, we aren’t ending our reliance on fossil fuels to power California’s economy – we are offshoring jobs, economic opportunities, and dangerously making ourselves less energy independent.”
A senior analyst at GasBuddy warned this week that California drivers could see average gas prices climb to their highest levels since 2022.