The Biden Administration said Friday that Americans ‘are paying less, in real terms, for gas than they have on average over the last 15 years’ as gas prices continue to sky rocket, Your Content has learned.
“Across America, the pandemic is in retreat. As we continue to make progress and our life returns to normal, Americans are eager to make up for lost time and more people are traveling this Memorial Day weekend.” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said aboard Air Force One en route to Hampton, Virginia, Friday afternoon.
“And as Americans are hitting the road, they are paying less, in real terms, for gas than they have on average over the last 15 years.”
Gas prices have risen in recent weeks because a key pipeline was forced to close after a cyberattack.
Controversial Connecticut-based constitutional rights attorney Norm Pattis told Your Content the news comes as a shock to his local gas station.
“My local gas station did not get that memo,” Pattis said. “Is that because we’ve been locked down and afraid to travel?
“Aw, c’mon,Joe. We’re not deaf, dumb and blind.”
Gas prices are up because of a rapid and unexpected bounce-back in demand, and because of lingering problems from the forced shutdown early this month of the Colonial Pipeline, which provides 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, the publication explained.
“And they’re paying — they’re paying about the same as they did in May 2018 and May 2019.” Jean-Pierre continued. “The administration’s success in beating the pandemic and getting our economy back on track has led to increased demand for gas as the — as the country reopens.”
As Your Content previously reported on May 13, gasoline prices in Virginia soared through the roof reaching an astounding $7 per gallon
According to GasBuddy, a company that provides apps and websites featuring real-time gas prices, 52% of the stations in the commonwealth were out of gasoline at the time.
The availability of gas is connected to a reported cybersecurity incident on the Colonial Pipeline. The Associated Press reports gas stations across the south reported running out of fuel primarily because of panic-buying among drivers, reports NBC29.
Colonial initiated the restart of pipeline operations late Wednesday, May 12. In a statement the company said this means that “all lines, including those lateral lines that have been running manually, will return to normal operations, but it will take several days for deliveries to return to normal.”
Your Content readers were first to learn Thursday that top dogs at the Colonial Pipeline adhered to an astronomical ransom notice made by unidentifiable hackers.
Aboard Air Force One, Jean-Pierre explained gas prices have fluctuated in recent decades.
“But while price — prices have increased from the lows last year as demand drastically dipped, prices at just about $3 per gallon are still well in line with what there have been — what they’ve been in recent decades.” Jean-Pierre continued.
“And last week, prices have already stabilized after a spike earlier this month as the Colonial Pipeline is fully flowing and the supply situation returns to normal. This is due in part to the administration’s aggressive whole-of-government response to the unprecedented shutdown of the pipeline.”