WASHINGTON—Congressman Dan Kildee, Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, today voted for the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act to help bring down gas prices for Michiganders. The legislation would lower costs for Michiganders at the pump by addressing price gouging by oil corporations and bringing more transparency to the oil and gas market.

“Big Oil companies should not be able to take advantage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by inflating prices at the pump,” Congressman Kildee said. “At a time when Big Oil companies are making record profits, consumers are being unfairly squeezed financially every time they fill up their car. This legislation will help to save Michiganders’ money, and I will continue to focus on other ways we can lower costs for families.”

The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would be the first-ever federal law against price gouging, would:

Big Oil is gouging consumers and manipulating the market by deliberately keeping production low to keep prices, and their profits, high. The fossil fuel industry controls over 26 million acres of U.S. public lands—and a full 53 percent is not being used to produce oil and gas. More than 9,000 drilling permits go unused. And in the first quarter of this year, four of the largest Big Oil companies collectively made $27 billion in profits, all while announcing stock buybacks of $41 billion this year alone.

Congressman Kildee has led efforts in Congress to bring down gas prices for Michiganders. In February, Kildee introduced the Gas Prices Relief Act, which would bring down prices at the pump for Michigan drivers by suspending the federal gas tax. In March, Kildee announced the bipartisan Year-Round Fuel Choice Act, supported by Republicans and Democrats, which would lower gas prices and strengthen American energy independence by allowing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow for the year-round sale of E15 gas.