{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-gas-prices-surge-above-4-and-national-gas-price-climbs-to-411-as-august-average-hits-record-high-aaa-says", "RI Gas Prices Surge Above $4 & National Gas Price Climbs to $4.11 as August Average Hits Record High, AAA Says", "2026-08-21", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "CRANSTON, RI \u2013 Due to President Trump\u2019s ill-conceived war with Iran and strategic incoherence, gasoline, heating oil, jet fuel, and diesel costs have all surged, putting more upward pressure on prices for everyday products that American consumers and companies depend on.\n\nToday, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in Rhode Island topped $4.00 in the Ocean State, according to AAA. And the national gas price climbed to $4.11 which marks the highest it\u2019s ever been on this date. This August is shaping up to be the highest on record.\n\nOil prices can fluctuate for a variety of complex reasons. But U.S. Senator Jack Reed says it is clear the reason gas prices continue to remain elevated at record-breaking levels this late in the year is squarely due to President Trump\u2019s reckless decision to attack Iran and his continued mismanagement of the war and diplomatic failures to end it. Since the President launched his war with Iran, a significant portion of the world\u2019s oil has been blocked in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to higher global prices even with higher US output.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump is driving gas prices to record highs this summer. Americans continue to pay more at the pump because President Trump recklessly launched a war with no clear strategy, and, six months later, he has failed to accomplish any of the key goals he used as a pretext for his war. He has no coherent strategy or end game. In fact, he has made the U.S. less safe and emboldened the Iranian regime to seize unprecedented control over the Strait of Hormuz, where twenty percent of the world\u2019s oil passes through,\u201d said Reed. \u201cTrump is fueling higher costs for oil, food, and other goods and drivers are being forced to pay more due to his chaotic mismanagement.\u201d\n\nBefore Trump started his war with Iran, regular unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island averaged $2.94 the week before the war -- $1.06 less per gallon than it is today. The price of diesel in Rhode Island \u2013 which powers trucks, tractors, and fishing boats -- is now $5.52 per gallon. As of this morning, Brent crude oil was trading above $93 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate traded near $87.\n\nAccording to Brown University\u2019s Iran War Cost Energy Tracker, the energy burden on American citizens \u2013 the extra costs for gas and diesel they are forced to pay because of Trump\u2019s war with Iran -- has risen to $88.5 billion. That means the average family has been forced to pay about $675 more for products due to elevated gas and diesel prices over the past six months because of Donald Trump\u2019s war.\n\n\u201cWith President Trump\u2019s Iran war now in its sixth month, Americans are paying a steep price at the pump for his weakness. The President\u2019s failed economic policies are passing a heavier economic burden onto working families. Households are struggling with cost pressures for gas, food, medicine, and more. Unlike President Trump, they can\u2019t just pass higher prices along to someone else. Trump\u2019s higher fuel costs are taking a real toll on family budgets. It\u2019s got to stop,\u201d said Reed, who also warned that while prices at the pump are already elevated and straining family budgets, many households could get hit even harder this winter by future home heating bills, which are projected to be steeper than last year, especially if supply disruption occurs due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.\n\nFor gasoline, early summer is peak driving season, but demand typically starts decreasing in mid-August as demand for oil begins to drop and a new school year begins.\n\nThe highest average gas price on Labor Day weekend was $3.83 in 2012, according to GasBuddy.\n\nGas prices overall are up nearly 30 percent compared to last year.\n\nReed, a leading member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has repeatedly voted against Trump\u2019s reckless tariff taxes and war with Iran. Senator Reed is working to end these gambits, strengthen America, lower costs, and create an orderly process to reimburse Americans who have been unfairly forced to pay elevated costs due to President Trump reckless policies.\n\nWhile consumers are getting hosed at the pump, Big Oil companies are sucking up record profits due to war-elevated gas prices. Eight of the biggest oil companies \u2013 Aramco, BP, Shell, Equinor, TotalEnergies, Eni, Chevron and ExxonMobil \u2013 amassed $90 billion in profits in just the three-month period of April, May and June.", 1, "2026-08-23T05:27:15Z", "2026-08-23T05:29:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-gas-prices-surge-above-4-and-national-gas-price-climbs-to-411-as-august-average-hits-record-high-aaa-says"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1321841049939394, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}