Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) says “Bidenomics” is to blame for the surging gas prices in his district, the fifth congressional district.
According to Biggs, “Bidenomics” includes a “war on domestic energy,” meaning the oil and gas industry.
The average gas price in Arizona, per AAA, sits at about $4 per gallon, a steady rise from prices over the last month but a slight decline from the average last year, when prices hit about $4.30 a gallon.
Arizona’s averages have consistently sat higher than the national averages over the past year.
“Biden’s war on domestic energy hits Americans in the pocketbook. Gas is over $4.00/gallon in my district!” said Biggs. “Arizonans are suffering thanks to Bidenomics.”
Biden's war on domestic energy hits Americans in the pocketbook.
The highest-ever recorded average for gas prices in Arizona was nearly $5.40 in the summer of 2022.
AAA has attributed the recent steady rise in gas prices to the increase in oil prices. Crude oil hit over $10 per barrel earlier this year, attributed to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and increased conflicts in the Middle East.
The Biden administration has reportedly urged Ukraine to cease its attacks on Russian oil refineries, out of concern for rising gas prices. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed those requests from U.S. officials, telling The Washington Post that the U.S. lacks authority to dictate his military strategy.
“We used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t,” said Zelensky.
Mapping of gas prices nationwide reflects a trend for prices to be highest around the West Coast, lowest around the midsection of the country, and slightly higher again around the East Coast.
Another factor for the upward surge in gas prices relates to the Biden administration’s increased pressures on oil and gas production — such as the plan announced last fall to scale back leasing for offshore oil and gas drilling — in an attempt to increase American reliance and support for “clean energy” alternatives.
Biden campaigned on the promise to abolish the oil industry, and “end fossil fuel.” His first executive order laid some of the framework to fulfill that promise, such as imposing a moratorium on certain oil and natural gas leasing activities, and directing agencies to revise fuel and emissions standards for vehicles.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced $20 billion in grants to private companies for clean energy initiatives.
On Wednesday, the Department of Energy canceled two purchases to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Agency officials indicated a desire to avoid buying back oil above its target price of $79 per barrel, since the cost per barrel is around $87.
The Biden administration has depleted the SPR by about 45 percent.
Last month, the Biden administration announced stricter emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles such as freight trucks and buses. Available technologies to meet their new emissions standards include the advanced internal combustion engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
In January, the White House paused permitting on liquified natural gas (LNG) exports.
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Arizona’s congressional leaders had varied reactions to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday, largely toeing party lines. Nearly all addressed the state of the border and the economy; however, while Republicans generally viewed each as being in a negative state, Democrats viewed them as being in a positive state.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) issued the lengthiest play-by-play during Biden’s remarks in a series of X posts (formerly Twitter), touching on the major issues facing the country: involvement in foreign conflicts, as well as the economic, crime, and illegal immigration crises.
The average military age in Ukraine is 42. They’ve lost 500,000 men. Why are we encouraging war instead of encouraging peace?
Joe Biden has actually weaponized our government against his enemies. These included protestors on both the Left and Right, school board parents, and Catholics.
Joe Biden’s economy has been a disaster for Americans. There has been 19.8 percent inflation since January 2021, costing Arizona families $12,891 this year, according to the Joint Economic Committee.
Under Joe Biden’s leadership, layoffs have surged to the highest level in 15 years.
If Joe Biden really wants to take down Big Pharma, he should support, pass, and sign our bill that would eliminate immunity for dangerous vaccines.
We’re $34 trillion in debt, Joe. The Affordable Care Act: still unaffordable.
Education is actually a state issue.
The last thing we need in our education is Dr. Jill [Biden] and Joe reading to three-year-olds.
Joe, has your son paid back his taxes yet?
Joe Biden actually wants to ensure the Child Tax Credit goes to illegal aliens.
Joe Biden is actually making insulin prices higher for Americans.
When does Big Government get out of the way? It doesn’t.
Joe Biden can shut the border down NOW. Get it done!
Joe Biden is separating families. His Administration has lost some 140,000 illegal aliens from the border.
The biggest dark money distributors are DEMOCRATS.
Democrats have called for defunding the police. Crime is everywhere as a result.
Joe Biden is citing figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. They were found to have completely fabricated their casualty figures.
These so-called UN humanitarian workers actually helped facilitate the heinous October 7th attacks in Israel.
Joe Biden’s plan to create a ‘Gaza Port’ actually fast-tracks aid to Hamas. GOP Oversight and I have been conducting oversight on our aid to Gaza. It’s ending up in the wrong hands.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) criticized Biden’s address as “divisive,” “disconnected,” avoidant of all responsibility for issues like the border crisis, and void of “real solutions.” Ahead of the SOTU, Ciscomani issued his endorsement of President Donald Trump. Ciscomani said that, despite Biden’s failings, he had hope for a national revival.
“President Biden’s State of the Union was divisive, devoid of real solutions, and disconnected from our real needs,” said Ciscomani. “While those [issues] still persist, so does the will and determination of our people and the American spirit that built this country. As long as we have that, I remain optimistic for our future and focused on fighting for our families.”
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) March 8, 2024
Ciscomani’s guest was Jane Strain, an Army veteran from Sierra Vista.
Excited to have my friend Jane Strain accompanying me to tonight’s State of the Union!
An Army veteran herself, Jane is a tireless advocate for Sierra Vista, our military communities, and all veterans across #AZ06. I’m honored to have her join me this evening. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/v0y9Xh9ZQV
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) March 7, 2024
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) also issued a brief play-by-play during the SOTU. Crane criticized Biden’s focus on foreign nations over America, and dismissed the feasibility of the border provisions within the failed $118 billion foreign aid bill.
Biden mentioning Ukraine before America is pretty on brand.
He seems to be pretty nervous about his predecessor, given how often he’s referring to him.
The ‘toughest border security bill’ Biden is referring to would only force action by DHS after 5,000 criminal aliens infiltrated PER DAY FOR A WEEK.
“All Americans deserve the freedom to be safe and America is safer today than when I took office.” – Biden. 8+ million criminal aliens have infiltrated our communities during Biden’s time in office.
Tough talk about China from someone who let a Chinese spy balloon traverse the entire contiguous United States.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) also issued a brief play-by-play during the SOTU. Gallego praised the CHIPS and PACT Acts, critiqued the unfairness of fees on service items, and urged agreement on a border security bill.
Arizona is a hub that’s seeing major benefits from the CHIPS Act. That’s more jobs, higher wages, and a boon to our state’s economy. I’m proud to have helped get it passed.
Arizona families are tired of price gouging junk fees that raise the cost of everything from hotels to phone plans. I’ve introduced the Junk Fees Prevention Act to put an end to it.
Arizona needs the bipartisan border deal. Far-right extremists killed it. I’ll keep fighting for real solutions to secure our border and fix our broken system.
I slept next to burn pits in Iraq, and I’ve seen too many of my Marines brothers suffer because of it. That’s why I fought to pass the PACT Act and ensure all toxic-exposed veterans get the healthcare they need.
Gallego’s guests to the SOTU were two Marines that served with him in Iraq, John and Cheston Bailon.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-07) said that Biden’s address was a “robust defense” of current policy. Grijalva focused on the passage of Biden’s massive budget bills, which have financed a wide array of projects and initiatives including infrastructure, and contrasted Biden with former President Donald Trump.
“The American people continue to benefit from the Biden administration’s landmark legislative accomplishments, including the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act. These laws are revitalizing Arizona with projects like the I-10 expansion, the City of Tucson’s 22nd Street bridge, millions of dollars to update clean drinking water infrastructure, the San Luis and Douglas Ports-of-Entry, and more. The Biden presidency stands in direct contrast to the extremism presented by Trump and Congressional Republicans. Trump and Republicans tried to overturn a democratic election, repealed Roe v. Wade, refused to secure resources for our border and pass immigration reform, and supported tax breaks for corporations and billionaires instead of helping working families. Through chaos and threats, Republicans have shown over the past two years that they are incapable of governing. All the while, Trump and Republicans remain fixated on the southern border and chose to block bipartisan immigration reform for the sake of campaign politics. I do, however, caution President Biden from pushing for Trump-era immigration policies that have not yielded any positive results and only worsened conditions at the border for families and individuals seeking refuge in our country. Real immigration reform is needed, and it begins with providing the necessary resources to localities like those in Southern Arizona that are at the forefront of the situation. It’s clear the American people have benefitted from the leadership of President Biden and his commitment to defending the freedoms and values essential to American democracy. I look forward to working together with President Biden to ensure we can build on the historic progress we have made thus far and champion bold policies to protect reproductive freedom, establish a living wage, guarantee paid leave, ensure climate justice, hold corporations accountable, require the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes, safeguard Social Security and Medicare, and defend and advance racial equity and civil rights for every American for future generations.”
Reaction to #SOTU2024 🧵@POTUS' State of the Union address offered a robust defense of American democracy, reproductive freedoms, and recommitted our nation to our allies abroad. He defined a positive and comprehensive vision for our nation. 1/
Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) also issued a play-by-play, focusing on how Biden policies have resulted in an increased cost of living, and a sweeping crisis of illegal immigration and crime.
President Biden touts his economic policies, meanwhile the average American family is spending $1K+ more per/month than they were 3 years ago for the same things. Are those families supposed to believe Bidenomics is working?
List of things the American people can no longer afford: Gas, Groceries, Housing, Vehicles, Utilities AND MORE! His claims of the success of #Bidenomics are a slap in the face to every American family struggling through this cost-of-living crisis!
Since Biden took office, the income needed to purchase a home comfortably has gone up 80%. That’s the reality of #Bidenomics
Is it really a surprise Biden is blaming the Republicans on the border crisis? Of course he doesn’t want to take accountability for halting construction of the border wall, ending ‘Remain in Mexico’, starting catch-and-release, and more. He’s failed, and he knows it.
These “pro-immigrant” policies President Biden is touting are the same ones that get women and children trafficked and raped, kidnap families, and allow terrorists to move into your neighborhood.
Why is President Biden blaming House Republicans when he could… Reinstate ‘Remain in Mexico’, End catch-and-release, Stop the taxpayer funded migrant money grabs, Build the wall. President Biden caused the border crisis.
There’s an invasion at our Southern Border whether Biden believes it or not. That’s why I introduced my resolution recognizing the border crisis as an invasion. We’ve already had more than 1 MILLION illegal crossings this fiscal year! Sounds like an invasion to me.
FACT CHECK: DC had the highest number of homicides in 2023 since 1997. Our country has gotten no safer under the Biden Administration and Biden’s soft-on-crime policies will only make it worse.
Last night President Biden touted the state of our union, but the American people know the truth.
— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) March 8, 2024
Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ-01) focused on the poor fiscal health of the nation in his response: a $3 trillion increase in the national debt over the past year.
“The national debt will have increased by over $333 million by the time President Biden finishes speaking. Our nation’s fiscal health is rapidly deteriorating,” said Schweikert. I won’t stop sounding the alarm about our intensifying fiscal nightmare.
Since March 7 of last year, our national debt has gone up $3,000,000,000,000.
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) also offered a brief play-by-play during the SOTU. Stanton focused on abortion rights, semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceutical costs, and the border.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe, they turned back the clock on women’s rights in America. Congress must make the protections Roe provided the law of the land once again.
The CHIPS Act is bringing in billions of dollars in investment to Arizona, and creating thousands of good paying jobs that don’t require a college degree. Advanced manufacturing is returning to the United States.
We’ve capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare, lowered the cost of health care coverage, and finally forced Big Pharma to negotiate lower drug prices. Now we’re working to expand these savings to ALL Americans.
I was in Nogales just last week to meet with federal law enforcement and leaders on the front lines of the border crisis. Every day that extreme House Republicans block a vote on a border funding bill, it’s Arizona communities that suffer the consequences.
“We can fight about the border or we can fix it. I’m ready to fix it.” – @POTUS Let’s get it done.
In her play-by-play, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) said that the Republican and Democratic parties were resisting mutual solutions to the border crisis. Sinema also discussed laws passed under her on gun regulation and benefits for injured veterans.
Both parties are guilty of pointing fingers and pushing off the blame when it comes to our border crisis. If partisans care about securing the border as much as they pretend to on cable news appearances, let’s drop the talking points and deliver real results.
After the horrific Uvalde shooting, I brought Senators in both parties together to craft the Bipartisan Safer Communities law – breaking the 30 year logjam on gun violence prevention legislation. Since then, gun violence has dropped by 12% in urban centers and 10% elsewhere.
Earlier this week, millions of veterans exposed to toxins while serving gained access to health care thanks to our work on the PACT Act law. That’s how we work to deliver lasting solutions for those we serve.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) issued a brief defense of the Biden administration as having implemented positive progress for the country.
“Tonight, President Biden illustrated the clear choice our country faces between continuing the progress we’ve made over the past few years or going backwards,” said Kelly.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
On Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached under an effort initiated and led in part by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05).
The resolution to impeach Mayorkas for high crimes and misdemeanors passed 214-213, with three Republicans voting against it: Ken Buck (CO), Mike Gallagher (WI), and Tom McClintock (CA). Biggs has been proposing legislation to impeach Mayorkas since 2021.
In remarks preceding the impeachment vote, Biggs said the Founding Fathers were supportive of impeachment as a means of addressing serious offenses to the nation.
“It’s hard for me to conceive of any bigger offense against the nation than opening up the border and actually willingly and intentionally inviting in 10 million-plus illegal aliens to cross into the country,” said Biggs. “Secretary Mayorkas opened up our border and encouraged people to come in.”
Biggs cited Mayorkas’ inability to confirm during his sworn testimony that the border was operationally under control as defined by the Secure Fence Act of 2006. Mayorkas implied that the standard was impossible to meet, and that DHS had created its own standard to meet.
“That is a violation of separation of powers, and it is also a violation of his oath of office and duties,” said Biggs.
Additionally, Biggs cited DHS implementing a catch and release policy by abusing the policy allowing parole passes for certain immigrants on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian purposes. Those passes granted temporary legal status to the migrants that received them. Over the course of several decades, only an average of several dozen migrants annually received parole passes. Under Mayorkas, over a million have been issued to illegal immigrants over the last three years.
The congressman also cited Mayorkas testimony that his administration wasn’t deporting illegal immigrants even if they had removal orders from a court.
Biggs said it was imperative to impeach Mayorkas to prevent the unrelenting, ever-worsening tide of illegal immigrants constituting the border crisis.
“It isn’t a matter of a policy difference; it isn’t a matter of incompetence or maladministration. This is somebody who is a public official who has breached the public trust, and if we keep him in office for another 12 months, we shall surely see several million more people in this country,” said Biggs.
The impeachment resolution now heads to the Senate.
Tuesday’s vote was the second attempt against Mayorkas. House Republicans failed to gain enough votes to pass the impeachment resolution last week.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) said that the impeachment was warranted and claimed the border crisis was a deliberate effort by Mayorkas.
“The crisis at the border was deliberate, which more than warrants this historic action,” said Crane.
The crisis at the border was deliberate, which more than warrants this historic action. https://t.co/labBRJir0r
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07) condemned the impeachment as “baseless” and that there was “no evidence” of wrongdoing by Mayorkas. Grijalva claimed that the border crisis was now Republicans’ fault, not the Biden administration.
“[H]e has lawfully carried out the policies of President Biden and still requires significant help from Congress to manage the issues we face at the border,” said Grijalva. “[House GOP] now bear full responsibility for the situation at our southern border.”
Instead of passing real immigration reform to fix our broken system or giving the necessary resources for Secretary Mayorkas and border communities to manage the humanitarian crisis, the House Republican majority moved forward with a baseless impeachment resolution. https://t.co/nppoLt51h2
Reps. Andy Biggs (R-05) and Eli Crane (R-02), along with other House Republicans, failed to convince their colleagues to impeach Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border crisis.
Biggs asserted that Mayorkas was in violation of the separation of powers, citing the secretary’s inaction on the removal of over one million illegal immigrants eligible for deportation, and neglect of Title 8.
“That has resulted in great injury to our communities, and that is why he must be impeached, because he falls within the definition of one of the Founders, James Iredell said, and he’s right on the money,” said Biggs.
The great James Iredell — one of our first Supreme Court Justices — said that “the power of impeachment is given by this Constitution to bring great offenders to punishment.”
He's right.
The House must use this leverage to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this evening. pic.twitter.com/eCKFy4f9M5
Despite the number of illegal immigrant crossings and drug trafficking reaching unprecedented record highs under President Joe Biden, Mayorkas has maintained that the border crisis originated from decades of congressional inaction rather than the policy of this current administration.
Mayorkas and other Democratic leaders support the $118 billion Senate bill described as a border bill, though a majority of the funding goes to Ukraine and other countries.
The bipartisan agreement in the Senate is tough, fair, and takes meaningful steps to address the challenges our country faces after decades of Congressional inaction. (1/10)
Lawmakers opposed to the bill pointed out its increased leniency for illegal immigration, such as a provision allowing those who either make it over 100 miles or remain longer than 14 days in the country to avoid deportation. The bill also would create a new, nonimmigrant visa subcategory enabling noncitizens to visit family members, as well as removing illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico or Canada out of total encounters.
The bill also included another $60 billion for Ukraine, while providing just over $20 billion for the border, over $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion in humanitarian aid, over $6 billion for a variety of over projects, nearly $5 billion for the Indo-Pacific, and over $2 billion for the Red Sea conflict.
President Joe Biden claimed the bill wasn’t perfect: not because it didn’t close the border more for illegal immigration, but because it didn’t go far enough to grant citizenship for those illegal immigrants within the country.
This bipartisan national security bill may not address everything I would have wanted.
But the reforms in this bill are essential for making our border more orderly, more humane, and more secure. pic.twitter.com/Cz0OdaZkse
Some lawmakers have argued that Mayorkas would ignore limited enforcement measures passed.
During Tuesday’s debate on Mayorkas’ impeachment, Crane accused the secretary of that very inaction on immigration enforcement.
“How many Americans have to die of fentanyl, MS-13 gang members, having their kids raped and murdered?” asked Crane. “It’s high time that [Mayorkas] be held accountable for his complete dereliction of duty at our southern border.”
.@RepEliCrane on @SecMayorkas impeachment: "How many Americans have to die of fentanyl, MS-13 gang members, having their kids raped and murdered?… It's high time that Mayorkas be held accountable for his complete dereliction of duty at our southern border." pic.twitter.com/QWWscauaJt
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-04), in a joint statement with the New Democrat Coalition (NDC), called the impeachment a “sham,” and blamed Republicans for the state of the border.
The House GOP has relentlessly pursued a sham impeachment of @SecMayorkas, but they just rejected a strong, bipartisan border security bill without even reading it.
It’s shameful, and it’s Arizona communities that are paying the price.
Three Republicans — Reps. Ken Buck (CO), Mike Gallagher (WI), and Tom McClintock (CA) — joined Democrats in defeating the impeachment measure, 214-216.
However, House GOP leadership say that Tuesday’s vote wouldn’t be the last attempt at impeaching Mayorkas. A spokesman for House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA) said he plans to whip more votes.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07) were three out of less than 30 congressmen to push back against President Joe Biden’s bombing of Yemen.
Last week, the three men signed onto a bipartisan letter with 27 other members of Congress to declare that the military strikes were unauthorized, therefore unconstitutional, and that Biden required the consent of Congress to further engage.
“Article One of the Constitution is clear: Congress has the sole power to declare war and authorize U.S. military action,” stated the letter.
The congressmen argued that Biden only holds the authority to introduce U.S. forces into hostilities either after a declaration of war by Congress, after specific statutory authorization from Congress, or in a national emergency when the U.S. is under imminent attack.
Biden ordered the strikes earlier this month in response to Yemen-based Houthi militant attacks on U.S. military forces dating back to November. Biden’s letter to Congress announcing the strikes alleged that he had authority under the War Powers Resolution (WPR) of 1973.
Immediately following Biden’s letter to Congress, Biggs condemned the move as unconstitutional.
“[Biden] can’t unilaterally pull us into another war,” said Biggs. “Why does he want so many wars?”
Biden’s airstrikes in Yemen blatantly violate Article 1 of our Constitution.
Similarly, the congressmen contended in their letter that Biden proceeded under a selective reading of the WPR.
“The WPR of 1973 does not give blanket authority for a President to unilaterally involve U.S. military forces in a conflict if a President simply notifies Congress within 48 hours. The 48-hour reporting requirement only applies to a situation in which a President must act due to an attack or imminent attack against the United States,” read the letter.
However, the letter didn’t express any intent on applying punitive measures for the executive overreach. Rather, the letter concluded with a request for Biden to heed to their authority under the Constitution, with an offer to “debate” any war-making request by the administration.
The other members of Congress to sign onto the letter were Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna, Val Hoyle, Pramila Jayapal, Cori Bush, Jonathan Jackson, Summer Lee, Rashida Tlaib, Greg Casa, Ilhan Omar, James McGovern, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ayanna Presley, Nydia Velazquez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delia Ramirez, Barbara Lee, Jamaal Bowman; and Republican Reps. Warren Davidson, Thomas Massie, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Harriet Hageman.
In another statement on Tuesday following the deaths of three troops in Jordan, Gosar again declared Biden lacked the authority to bring the U.S. into a foreign conflict.
“Biden does not have the authority to take us into war with Iran without Congressional approval,” said Gosar.
Biden does not have the authority to take us into war with Iran without Congressional approval.
Gosar further declared that Biden’s foreign policy was to blame for the three deaths.
“Biden bears full responsibility [for] the drone attack on our troops by recklessly reopening nuclear arms negotiations [with] Iran [and] giving them $6 billion [to] fund its military, refusing [to] enforce the Trump-imposed Iranian oil sanctions which has allowed Iran [to] rake in billions of profits,” said Gosar. “Biden also reversed the Trump-imposed freeze on millions of dollars that were diverted [to] Iran-sponsored terrorist activities.”
Biden bears full responsibility 4 the drone attack on our troops by recklessly reopening nuclear arms negotiations w/Iran & giving them $6 BILLION 2 fund its military, refusing 2 enforce the Trump-imposed Iranian oil sanctions which has allowed Iran 2 rake in billions in profits.…
