Cortez Masto Leads Bipartisan Legislation to HELP Lower GAS Prices, Create Western FUEL Reserve

Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator John Curtis (R-Utah) as the Democratic lead on legislation to help lower gas prices in the West. TheWestern Refined Fuel Reserve (WRFR) Actwould require the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a fuel reserve that would hold refined fuels for certain Western states, including Nevada, to utilize during emergencies.
Western states, including Nevada, have thehighest gas pricesin the country. Today, gas in Nevadacosts$3.72 per gallon, 74 cents higher than the national average of $2.98 per gallon. This bipartisan legislation would mandate the creation of a Western Refined Fuel Storage Reserve to hold refined fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel exclusively for Western states to draw down during emergencies and supply disruptions. The refined fuel reserve would be modeled after the existing Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
“Nevadans shouldn’t have to break the bank just to get to work, school, or the grocery store,”said Senator Cortez Masto.“But as we saw after the pandemic, the Silver State is just one supply chain disruption away from intolerably high gas prices. This bipartisan legislation would help stabilize prices throughout the West so we never have to see five-dollar gallons of gas again.”
“Families, first responders, farmers, truckers, and small businesses across the American West depend on reliable access to refined fuels every day,”said Senator Curtis.“Right now, our emergency tools are outdated—the Strategic Petroleum Reserve stores crude oil, not the fuels people actually use. In a crisis, time lost to refining and transporting fuel can mean real hardship. Our bipartisan bill closes that gap and strengthens resilience in the region.”
Specifically, theWRFR Act would:
The full text of the legislation can be foundhere.
Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported lowering costs for working families in Nevada. Following herconsistentpushesto repeal the coffee tariffs, the Trump Administration decided to exempt certain imports not grown in the United States – like coffee – from the disastrous blanket tariffs. Cortez Masto haschampionedlegislation to end taxes on tips andworkedto address barriers in its implementation. She hasintroducedlegislation to ensure Medicare can continue to negotiate the price of expensive cancer medications.
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