By Mark Scott
Washington, DC – Gasoline prices continue to skyrocket to record high levels. And that's prompting US Senator Charles Schumer to once again call on the President to tap into the nation's strategic petroleum reserves.
The Triple A reported Tuesday that the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the Buffalo Niagara region jumped a nickel to $2.52 a gallon. The price is nearly 60-cents higher than it was at this time last year.
Senator Schumer says the record high gasoline prices are hurting the nation's economy. With the nation's oil reserves at 100 percent capacity, Schumer said tapping into them would lower prices.
The New York Democrat was also critical of the recently passed energy bill, saying it doesn't begin to tackle US dependence on foreign sources of energy. Schumer says the lack of significant conservation measures in the bill is confounding.