World News: OnPolitics: White House fights soaring gas prices

Tuesday, November 23

May 12, 2021: A ransomware attack on the U.S. Colonial Pipeline has began to cause supply shortages in multiple states as consumers are lining up to fill their cars and gas cans at area gas stations including the Costco in Lantana, Fla.

OnPolitics: White House fights soaring gas prices

The national average is up 2.8 cents from a month ago and $1.30 per gallon higher than a year ago as inflation has picked up.

It's almost Turkey Day, OnPolitics friends!

For those of you still at work, hang in there! And for those of you who have this week off, lucky you 😉!

It's Mabinty, bringing you the news of the day.

About those high gas prices ...

During last week's OnPolitics, I wrote about how the gas prices were too dang high. Well, I guess a lot of people were feeling my pain.

President Joe Biden is releasing 50 million barrels of oil from the nation's emergency stockpile to lower energy costs amid a spike in gas prices and soaring inflation, the White House announced Tuesday.

Thirty-two million barrels will be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the next several months and will be replaced in the years ahead. An additional 18 million barrels that Congress authorized for sale will be released in the coming months.

Biden has been under mounting political pressure to provide Americans relief from higher gas prices and to tame inflation, which hit a 31-year high last month. Republicans blamed Biden's policies for the increased cost of consumer goods, including energy prices; Democrats pointed to positive economic indicators, such as declining unemployment.

Real quick: stories you'll want to read

•	New week, new subpoenas: The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday a batch of new subpoenas for several far right groups.
•	No vaccine? It'll cost you: As the courts decide whether a COVD-19 vaccination requirement can go into effect, Democrats are moving ahead on efforts to dramatically increase fines for workplace safety violations.
•	A history-making moment: For the first time in history, women may be on the cusp of being included in future U.S. military drafts.

Pennsylvania Senate race up in the air

Whoa: Sean Parnell, the candidate endorsed by Trump for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, on Monday suspended his campaign after he lost a court fight over custody of his three children in which the judge said he believed allegations of abuse by Parnell's estranged wife.

In a statement, Parnell said he was devastated by the judge's decision and planned to ask the judge to reconsider but that he cannot continue his campaign.

Now what? Pennsylvania's Senate seat is opening up with the retirement in 2023 of two-term Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, and both Republicans and Democrats have a big field of candidates in the politically divided state.

Parnell's withdrawal comes as many in the state Republican Party remain undecided about their field, which includes conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, real estate investor Jeff Bartos and Carla Sands, Trump's ambassador to Denmark.

Wildcard: Also swirling is a suggestion from Mehmet Oz — the cardiac surgeon and longtime host of TV's "Dr. Oz Show" who gained fame as a protege of Oprah Winfrey — that he is being encouraged to enter the Republican primary.

Congrats to all the Grammy nominees today! — Mabinty

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