Idaho Congressman Russ Fulcher speaks on conflict in Iran and rising gas prices
Stephanie Lucas
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KIFI) – With Idaho’s AAA reporting another week of pain at the pump for drivers, Idahoans are likely making the connection between gas prices and U.S. actions in Iran.
Idaho Congressman Russ Fulcher updated Local News 8 on the Middle East situation today, outlining his expectations for a timeline for U.S. actions to be completed, and clarifying some of the factors at play in rising fuel prices.
“Nobody has an appetite for a forever war,” he said. “But at the same time, we’ve got to support the men and women who have engaged over there now, and we need to get this job done. And I think that it will be sooner rather than later.”
On the rising cost of fuel, Fulcher said the U.S. gets very little oil from Iran.
“Here are the interesting facts on that. So the U.S. really doesn’t get hardly any of its fuel [there]. There is one or 2%. However, the rest of the world is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20%.”
“So it’s that world market,” he continued, “world market force in terms of gas prices, its impact. It’s in the short term. I think the good news there is, look, we are keeping or we’re opening back up the Hormuz Strait. That’s where so much of this commerce goes through.”
Fulcher added that global supply is showing signs of recovery.
“And so that, and the rest of the world supply is responding as well. Venezuela is now coming back up and increasing the production there. So it might take a little bit. But this should be a short-term problem with the increase in gas.”