CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN LEADS COMMUNITY SPEAK-OUT AGAINST SKYROCKETING GAS PRICES DUE TO IRAN WAR

Congressman Pat Ryan Leads Community Speak-Out Against Skyrocketing Gas Prices due to Iran War

Congressman Ryan joined dozens of community members in a Speak-Out about the rapidly rising price of gas, and how the surging costs caused by the Iran War are impacting Hudson Valley families and businesses

Since the war began, gas prices have skyrocketed; in March, average gas prices exceeded $4/gallon, the highest since 2022 - they have continued to climb ever since, even amid the tenuous ceasefire; every $1/gallon increase translates to about $500 extra per driver a year

Ryan, an Iraq War veteran, has been consistent in his opposition to Trump's war in Iran, citing both concerns with the safety of troops abroad and the economic impact on families back home

NEW PALTZ, NY - Today, Congressman Pat Ryan led dozens of community members in a Speak-Out against the skyrocketing price of gas. Since the start of the Iran War, gas prices have exceeded $4/gallon - the highest since 2022. They have been rapidly climbing since the beginning of the conflict, including amid the two-week ceasefire.

Community members - including business owners and first responders - from across the Hudson Valley spoke out about how the high-cost environment is impacting them, their families, and their businesses.

Ryan, an Iraq War veteran, has been consistent in his opposition to Trump's war in Iran, citing both concerns with the safety of troops abroad and the economic impact on families back home.

"Whenever I talk to members of our community, two things are clear: they want lower costs and they want us to invest here at home; not to spend billions per day in another war in the Middle East. Hudson Valley families are already feeling the intense burden of rising costs from Trump's healthcare cuts and tariffs. Now, his reckless war in Iran is causing gas prices to skyrocket," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "Rising gas prices affect all of us - from commuters, to small business owners, to first responders - and even with the ceasefire, they're still rising. We never should have been in this position in the first place - we should be lowering costs and helping people get ahead. Instead the President has spent billions of your taxpayer dollars on an unnecessary, illegal war that's making Americans less safe and making life more expensive here at home. Our Hudson Valley community is speaking out with one voice - we can't afford to pay for Trump's mistakes every time we fill up our tanks, and we shouldn't have to."

"The recent spike in fuel costs driven by the conflict involving Iran isn't just a global headline-it's hitting EMS agencies like NPRS in real time. Every response, every mile, every standby now costs more, while reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid has remained virtually unchanged for decades," said Matthew Goodnow, New Paltz EMS."We are being squeezed between rising operational realities and a payment system that refuses to evolve. At some point, the question becomes unavoidable: how long can emergency services keep answering the call when the cost of getting there is no longer sustainable?"

"The economic fallout from the war is touching every corner of our community. Skyrocketing gas prices, along with higher costs for everyday goods due to tariffs, are hurting our residents," said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. "We're fortunate that in Ulster County, we offer free public transit, which is a savior for many residents, but for many others, they are really being squeezed at the pump. These increasing costs show why we need to expand access to cleaner, more affordable transportation options like EVs, while still supporting residents who rely on gas today. We thank Congressman Ryan for fighting for our residents and calling out this irresponsible war and other actions by this administration that are contributing to the affordability crisis."

"It's a little ridiculous that we're here arguing about high gas prices when the real reason they're high is because someone else started a war, and now people everywhere are paying the price for it. For a lot of people it means paying more at the pump once or twice a week. But when you run a business like ours with fifteen trucks and support vehicles on the road every day, those costs add up fast," said Mark Masseo, President, Masseo Landscape, Inc. "Fuel touches every job we do, and when energy prices go up, everything else goes up with it - materials, transportation, and the overall cost of living. Some of my staff members travel some distance to get to work to provide a great service. It's unfair that they are actually making less to travel. It's unfair to our staff and hardworking people to bear the burden. At the same time while we're complaining about paying more for gas, there are innocent people in other parts of the world who are losing their homes, their safety, and in many cases their lives. In the end, it just shows how unjust it is that ordinary people everywhere end up carrying the burden of decisions they never made."

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, "Trump promised lower prices and no more war, and the American people have received the opposite on both counts. Families and seniors in the Hudson Valley are being squeezed by high costs on nearly everything, and now Trump's war in Iran has sent gas prices skyrocketing, surging over a dollar a gallon and topping $4.28 in some areas and over $6 for diesel. Driving is the only option for most rural and upstate residents because we don't have a robust public transit system to fall back on when gas prices are this unaffordable. Trump's decision to raise gas prices is punishing our entire economy, in New York and nationwide, leaving people without extra pocket money to spend at local restaurants, shops, and small businesses. The damage being done to our economy is undeniable, and it's the direct result of the Trump administration choosing to make life harder and more expensive for everyday people."

"At a time when we should be building renewable energy to not only lower costs, but also insulate ourselves from the volatility of fossil fuels, the Trump administration has done the complete opposite: it has cut existing funding for renewable projects and wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on a war that's leading us to the brink of an energy crisis and global destabilization," said Assemblymember Sarahana Shresta."The price for this recklessness will be paid, of course, by everyday people who are already struggling to make ends meet. The Government's job in handling public money is to invest directly in programs and infrastructure that improves people's lives, not light it on fire to make everything significantly worse."

"As for how rising gas prices have effected me, beyond just the higher cost at the pump, it's the ripple effect that impacts the price of most consumer goods," said Drew Vreeland, Gardiner."When fuel and energy costs rise, the trickle down effect influences nearly all purchasing decisions. Specifically and personally, I've noticed that members of my community have had to refrain from participating in certain local events in order to conserve fuel. This is disheartening, as most of the events we host throughout the year are free to the public, so having the cost of travel be the prohibiting factor causes fractures in our community that can be imperceptable."

Costs are rising quickly for Hudson Valley families and Americans across the country. Gas prices have now passed $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022, after jumping more than 30 percent since the war began, and have climbed roughly $1 per gallon since the start of the year. Even with a ceasefire now in place, prices continue to rise and are expected to stay elevated for monthsbecause supply chains and shipping routes remain disrupted. The standstill in oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz has driven global energy costs higher, with oil prices surging. Families are paying $10 to $20 more per fill-up, while higher fuel costs are also pushing up food prices, fertilizer, and everyday goods.

The cost of the war itself is also significant. Thirteen American service members have been killed and more than 300 wounded. In just the first 12 days, the conflict cost $12.7 billion, with projections reaching $35 billion in the first month. News of a tenuous ceasefire has not reversed the economic damage or stabilized energy markets, leaving American families continuing to bear the cost.

Congressman Pat Ryan is a West Point graduate and the first alumni to represent the Academy in Congress. He served two combat tours in Iraq, and serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He has been a consistent opponent of the war, repeatedly citing both concerns of the human cost and troop safety as well as economic impacts back home.

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