HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal is looking to the White House to address the nation's everlasting high gas prices through the National Strategic Oil Reserve.
With a group of 10 other U.S. senators, Blumenthal wrote to President Joe Biden this week urging him to increase supply using oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
The wallets of moderate to low income families are suffering right now, Blumenthal said. Beyond that, he stressed the serious impact that the ongoing high gas price could have on the economy.
"The disruption is not to individual pocketbooks alone. It is to the entire economy. It could inhibit our recovery from the pandemic recession because gasoline prices have a ripple effect," Blumenthal said.
It's critical to bring down the rising price at the pump now, Blumenthal said, before millions of Americans hit the road for the holiday, especially with AAA predicting a 13% increase in Thanksgiving travelers compared to last year.
If Biden acts on the call, the drop in gas prices will depend on how much oil is released from the SPR, Blumenthal said.
The price could lower by 20 cents, 30 cents or more, but what's most important, he said, is that it will prevent the prices from continuing to rise.
"What we fear right now is continuing, surging, spiking of prices and that's what this release can help prevent," Blumenthal said.
As of Friday, Connecticut's average gas price was around $3.50 which was a bit higher than the national average which is at $3.40, according to AAA.
"The time is now. We're urging the president to act. He has the power, needs no congressional approval and he should do it right now," Blumenthal said.