Record-high diesel prices are prompting debate in Washington over whether the United States should temporarily restrict fuel exports to increase domestic supplies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is open to considering a diesel export ban as policymakers search for ways to reduce fuel costs. The national average price of diesel has climbed above $6 per gallon amid tight global supplies.
Middle East disruptions and attacks on Russian refining capacity have contributed to the increase.
Thune said that if domestically produced fuel is being exported, temporarily keeping more of it in the United States is an option worth considering.
However, Trump administration officials have questioned whether an export ban would lower prices for American consumers.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said restricting U.S. oil or fuel exports would be unlikely to reduce domestic energy costs. He also warned that such a move could prompt retaliatory trade measures from other countries.
The debate comes at a critical time for American agriculture. Farmers use large amounts of diesel to power combines, tractors and other equipment during harvest. Higher fuel prices also increase the cost of transporting crops, livestock and agricultural supplies.
Any federal action affecting fuel exports would require policymakers to weigh the possibility of increasing domestic supplies against potential disruptions to energy markets and international trade.