Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, November 23, 2021
- 2 years ago
MS. PSAKI: Hi, everyone.
Q Whoa.
MS. PSAKI: Oh, sorry.
Q What, you got a holiday to go to? (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Whoa. We’re a little earl- — we’re just excited to see you guys. Okay, I realize we’re a little early.
So, good afternoon, everyone. Take your time. If people want to shuffle into their seats.
I know this briefing is a bit later than normal, but we wanted to make sure we had a special guest who could join us. And Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is here for, I believe, her third visit to the Briefing Room with us.
SECRETARY GRANHOLM: (Holds up two fingers.)
MS. PSAKI: Second? Okay.
Today, she’s here to speak about the President’s actions to make 50 million barrels of oil available from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower prices for the American people.
We’ll turn it over to her. She has a bit of a time hardout, so we’ll — she’ll take some questions and then we’ll send her on her way, and we’ll continue to do a briefing after that.
With that, I will turn it over.
SECRETARY GRANHOLM: Thanks so much. Hello, everybody. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
So, let me just start by saying I was — I felt so honored to have joined the President’s Cabinet because I know his deep desire to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to reduce burdens for real people and to give opportunity to American families.
And top of mind, of course, as you have heard today, is making sure that every American has access to affordable energy, both at home and at the pump.
And while our Energy Information Agency — and that’s underneath the DOE — it predicts that we are going to turn the corner in 2022, the fact is, right now, that energy prices at the pump and at home are too high.
This administration realizes that people are seeing this every single day as they go to work, as they fill their cars with gas. And we also recognize who’s hurt the most from this.
Low-income families already spend up to 30 percent of their monthly income on fuel, on energy. And so, any price increase — for them, in particular — causes an undue strain, but it causes a strain on everyone, obviously.
So, to be really clear: Obviously, the President does not control the price of gasoline — no President does. But what we’re seeing right now is this global mismatch between supply and demand. Oil production is lagging behind as the rest of the economy roars back to life after the shutdown.
So, we, in this administration, are leaving no stone unturned as we examine the market to figure out what’s behind the high prices.
And, you know, that’s one of the reasons why the President sent a letter to the FTC last week to ask them to investigate why there is such a huge price difference between the price of unfinished gasoline and then the average price at the pump. And he explained that a little bit in his remarks earlier.
But, if historical averages were true today, people would be paying about 30 cents less per gallon at the pump
Q Whoa.
MS. PSAKI: Oh, sorry.
Q What, you got a holiday to go to? (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Whoa. We’re a little earl- — we’re just excited to see you guys. Okay, I realize we’re a little early.
So, good afternoon, everyone. Take your time. If people want to shuffle into their seats.
I know this briefing is a bit later than normal, but we wanted to make sure we had a special guest who could join us. And Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is here for, I believe, her third visit to the Briefing Room with us.
SECRETARY GRANHOLM: (Holds up two fingers.)
MS. PSAKI: Second? Okay.
Today, she’s here to speak about the President’s actions to make 50 million barrels of oil available from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower prices for the American people.
We’ll turn it over to her. She has a bit of a time hardout, so we’ll — she’ll take some questions and then we’ll send her on her way, and we’ll continue to do a briefing after that.
With that, I will turn it over.
SECRETARY GRANHOLM: Thanks so much. Hello, everybody. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
So, let me just start by saying I was — I felt so honored to have joined the President’s Cabinet because I know his deep desire to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to reduce burdens for real people and to give opportunity to American families.
And top of mind, of course, as you have heard today, is making sure that every American has access to affordable energy, both at home and at the pump.
And while our Energy Information Agency — and that’s underneath the DOE — it predicts that we are going to turn the corner in 2022, the fact is, right now, that energy prices at the pump and at home are too high.
This administration realizes that people are seeing this every single day as they go to work, as they fill their cars with gas. And we also recognize who’s hurt the most from this.
Low-income families already spend up to 30 percent of their monthly income on fuel, on energy. And so, any price increase — for them, in particular — causes an undue strain, but it causes a strain on everyone, obviously.
So, to be really clear: Obviously, the President does not control the price of gasoline — no President does. But what we’re seeing right now is this global mismatch between supply and demand. Oil production is lagging behind as the rest of the economy roars back to life after the shutdown.
So, we, in this administration, are leaving no stone unturned as we examine the market to figure out what’s behind the high prices.
And, you know, that’s one of the reasons why the President sent a letter to the FTC last week to ask them to investigate why there is such a huge price difference between the price of unfinished gasoline and then the average price at the pump. And he explained that a little bit in his remarks earlier.
But, if historical averages were true today, people would be paying about 30 cents less per gallon at the pump