Rosen Calls on Trump to Release Oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Help Lower Gas Prices

WASHINGTON, DC - As gas prices in Nevada hit the highest levels since 2022, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) urged President Donald Trump to immediately release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help bring down costs. Following the launch of Operation Epic Fury, Trump said gas prices have "gone up less than [he] thought they'd go up," due to Iran's de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Administration's seeming failure to plan for such an outcome. At one point in the past week, however, the average price of gas in Nevada hit $4.21 per gallon; nearly a dollar more than the national average, which has doubled since a week ago.

"This is coming at a time when hardworking families are already being squeezed by high costs. Over the last year, families across the country paid $310 more for groceries than they did in 2024," wrote Senator Rosen. "When gas prices go up even further, like we are currently seeing, the cost of other essentials - particularly groceries - rise even more. The pricing volatility in the oil market is making it impossible for Nevadans to budget for gas, groceries, energy, and other staples."

"You campaigned on the promise that you were going to take action to lower costs for Americans. Now, you claim that the affordability crisis is "a hoax," and your current actions show it. It's time to act swiftly and address the affordability crisis you created that is being compounded by the conflict abroad. I urge you to use all methods at your disposal to lower gas prices and provide certainty to Nevada families, including initiating a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve," she concluded.

Read the full letter HERE.

Senator Rosen has been working to bring down prices for Nevada families by pushing back on the Trump Administration's cost-raising policies. Last month, she introduced a bill to exclude homebuilding materials from Trump's tariffs to help lower home construction costs and prevent Trump from making the housing crisis even worse. Late last year, she introduced a bill to block Trump from raising grocery costs through his tariffs. Senator Rosen also helped introduce legislation that would require the Trump Administration to refund fees collected from Trump's illegal tariffs, prioritizing those individuals and small businesses who were hurt the most.

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