Schumer Calls On Feds To Prevent Gas Price Gouging After Hurricanes
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) called on the federal government to institute a gouge watch Sunday, as gas prices remain high after Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.
"By the laws of economics, what goes up should come down," Schumer said.
As WCBS 880's Mike Smeltz reported, Schumer said it is understandable that gas prices went up immediately after Harvey and Irma, with the storms disrupting operations at oil refineries.
But now that all the refineries are back up and running along the Gulf of Mexico, Schumer said it is troubling that gas prices remain high.
"We cannot let natural disasters become an excuse to charge an arm and a leg at the pump," he said.
Gas prices are up 28 cents nationally for gallon a regular in the past month. Schumer said New York, average prices are 13 percent higher than they were a month ago, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.
Schumer wants the Federal Trade Commission to put pressure on the major oil companies to start lowering prices as quickly as they raised them.