Rep. Tim Burchett criticized rising fuel prices and accused the oil industry of taking advantage of consumers, arguing that the cost of diesel and gasoline does not reflect actual supply conditions.
Burchett made the remarks after filling up his diesel truck, expressing frustration about the price drivers are currently paying at the pump.
“Hey everybody. Tim Burchett just filled up the dually with diesel yesterday,” Burchett said.
“I decided to do that instead of sending my daughter to school next year.”
Burchett argued that the high cost of diesel fuel does not match how petroleum products are refined and sold.
He described diesel as one of the earlier refined products produced from crude oil.
“But the reality is they’re ripping us off,” Burchett said.
“Diesel is like the second cut they take off it when it comes out of the ground and it goes kerosene and diesel and then gasoline and diesel is the most expensive.”
Burchett said oil companies and market analysts often attribute price increases to global developments but questioned those explanations.
“And I’m sure they can make some sort of they’ll bring out the economic experts another to cover themselves on that,” Burchett said.
Burchett also pointed to what he sees as a discrepancy between the price of fuel and other petroleum-based products.
“Another thing that really ticks me off about it is that they’ve when, when they the price of oil like they say, well, it’s whatever happens overseas is causing this to happen,” Burchett said.
He said that while gasoline prices rise quickly, the price of oil-based products sold in stores appears to remain stable.
“But then when you go to the hardware store or the auto parts store and you buy a quart of oil, guess what, the price hasn’t gone up,” Burchett said.
Burchett noted that the gasoline sold at retail stations was likely refined months earlier, questioning why prices would increase immediately following events overseas.
“The price of the gasoline in the tank is going up, and that’s gasoline that is probably months from it was in the ground, and then it was converted into gasoline at a refinery,” Burchett said.
He described the price changes as unjustified and attributed them to corporate profit motives.
“So the whole thing is just ridiculous. It’s greed,” Burchett said.
Burchett also referenced historical methods of producing fuel, including the conversion of coal into liquid fuel during World War II.
“And, you know, eventually we’re going to come to a point in technology, say, coal, coal, turning coal into oil and gasoline, as the Germans did during the Second World War,” Burchett said.
However, he said the technology has not advanced enough to make such processes economically competitive with conventional oil extraction.
“But guess what? The technology hasn’t advanced since then,” Burchett said.
“It’s still cheaper just to get oil out of the ground than to convert coal, which we have a lot of.”
Burchett also pointed out that the United States does not import oil from Iran, questioning why international tensions involving that country would affect domestic gasoline prices.
“And how much oil does America get from Iran? Zero,” Burchett said.
Burchett accused oil companies of taking advantage of market conditions to generate higher profits.
“That’s how much this is a scam, and these oil companies, shame on them,” Burchett said.
“They’re using this opportunity to make record profits once again.”
He questioned how prices can increase rapidly even when the fuel being sold has already been refined and delivered to gas stations.
“So you all see, you got to ask yourself, even if we were getting it, what about the stuff that’s already in the pipeline, that’s already been paid for the gasoline that’s in the tank at your neighborhood filling station,” Burchett said.
Burchett said gasoline prices often rise quickly but decline much more slowly.
“How does it go up exponentially when something happens overseas?” Burchett said.
“It’s a scam. Gasoline goes up like a rocket and it comes down with a parachute and never gets back down to where it should be.”
Looking to the future, Burchett said technological advancements could eventually reduce reliance on petroleum.
“Technology, all that technology in the world, we’re going to eventually figure out how to crack that hydrogen model,” Burchett said.
“Crack that hydrogen molecule and run our cars off of water.”
Burchett said scientific skepticism has often been proven wrong in the past and predicted future breakthroughs.
“I think I don’t care what the scientists tell you right now, they tell you all this stuff,” Burchett said.
He cited several examples of achievements that were once considered impossible.
“It’s well, the man couldn’t run a four minute mile. Can’t go 100 miles an hour in automobile. You can’t breathe. We’re not going to go to the moon. Tim Burchett is going to get elected to Congress,” Burchett said.
“You hear all those things, but guess what they happened anyway.”
Burchett closed his remarks by thanking voters and asking for prayers for the country.
“Thank you all for sending me here,” Burchett said.
“Pray for our country.”
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