WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The finger-pointing continues in the nation’s Capital as inflation rises, fueling worries of a recession.

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) took part in a Thursday press conference, calling for Congress to pass a number of bills targeting price gouging. He blames high gas prices on the oil companies' massive profits, "$205 billion; it’s the highest profits they have ever had. They have tripled their return on refinement, which is not anything to do with the crude price of oil." He added, "So, when we see those $5 or $6 price tags per gallon, what we should see is Americans getting ripped off by big oil."

Merkley and several other Democrats support the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax, which they say will provide rebates to taxpayers. He also supports passage of the Price Gouging Prevention Act and a bill pausing large corporate mergers in food and agriculture.

Representative Cliff Bentz, Oregon’s only Republican in Congress, told Newsmax earlier this week, the country doesn’t need another tax, "It doesn’t surprise me though that Democrats think there’s an unlimited amount of tax money available and if they just go gather up more money, the things will get better," adding, "To be suggesting that we should add on top of this already disastrous for many situation another set of taxes is ridiculous." Bentz tweeted Thursday, “Only Democrats think it’s possible to spend our way out of 9.1% inflation.”