WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is canceling oil drilling lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Cook Inlet, triggering furious responses from Republicans, who are blaming President Biden’s energy policies for high gas prices. The decisions come at a challenging time for the Biden administration. Surging prices at the pump have compounded inflationary pressures for consumers, which Mr. Biden this week said will be his top domestic priority. The leasing program presents a dilemma for Mr. Biden. At the same time, he has taken steps to increase oil supplies to try to bring down gas prices, including calling on the oil industry to pump more crude.

Source: New York Times May 13, 2022 00:15 UTC