On Thursday’s broadcast of ABC’s “The View,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm stated that “we’re going to be doing what we can” to address the uptick in gas prices and said that the tools to do so are releasing from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and calling on gas companies to lower prices and boost supply.

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked, “[G]as prices, they’re somewhat on the rise, but they did go down significantly, we’re seeing them rise a bit. Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain had encouraged the president to focus on pocketbook issues to voters. What is the administration doing to lower those prices, and should we be worried about the conflict in the Middle East contributing?”

Granholm answered, “Yeah, we should, and thank you for raising that. Because people may not be aware, of course, oil is where you get your gas from, and it’s created on a global market. And so, if there is a conflict in the Strait of Hormuz that blocks the flow of oil, that impacts what you pay at the pump. If Russia invades Ukraine, that impacts what you pay at the pump. But the bottom line is, the president is really focused on this, and when Ukraine invaded — when Russia invaded Ukraine, we have this big tool called the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and he released oil, along with convincing our allies around the world to do the same so that we put more supply on the market, because what it was, all these Russian barrels were pulled out. The president is watching this. He’s obsessed with it, and so, we’re going to be doing what we can.”

Co-host Sunny Hostin then asked, “Shouldn’t gas companies be better corporate citizens and lower the prices and start — stop gouging the American people?”

Granholm responded, “Well, this is — I know the president has really called upon this and to increase supply as well.”

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