On Thursday, a group of America First Republicans introduced a measure that would force Joe Biden to increase domestic oil and gas production when he taps the nation’s emergency stockpile.
The Strategic Production Response Act would require the Department of Energy to develop a plan for fossil fuel extraction on federal lands every time the government taps the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) for non-emergency purposes, the Republicans announced.
The bill is a companion to one that was introduced by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Republicans on Dec. 1.
“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was created by Congress to respond to oil supply disruptions that may arise after a natural disaster or war,” Cathy McMorris Rodgers, one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement.
“The SPR is not supposed to be tapped as a bailout for the President’s anti-fossil fuel agenda, which has led to the highest gas prices in seven years.”
On Nov. 23, Biden ordered the Energy Department to release 50 million barrels of crude oil from the SPR in an effort to halt surging gasoline prices ahead of Thanksgiving. Oil prices, a key factor in determining gas prices, quickly rose after the announcement.
Industry experts slammed the action, suggesting it was politically motivated and wouldn’t solve the U.S. supply chain crunch.
“This very temporary measure is not going to solve the supply issue at the pump nor is it a solution to gas prices that have doubled in the last year,” Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, the top Republican on a House energy subcommittee said after the announcement.
On Thursday, the average price of gasoline in the U.S. hit $3.34 per gallon — 54% higher than one year ago, according to AAA data.
Pump prices have fallen in recent weeks due to concerns of the spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19, but prices remain near seven-year highs.
Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the third sponsor of the bill, previously stated that the SPR cannot be used as a “piggy bank just to bail you out when your failed policies create higher gas prices” in response to a reporter’s question.
Meanwhile, the White House is considering another measure, a potential ban on crude oil exports, which economists and experts said would lead to higher inflation and gas prices.
The war on fossil fuels is by no means an accident.
Biden’s federal government has invested billions and seeks to invest more in the widescale production of electric vehicles, all while predicting the complete ban on fossil fuels in less than 10 years. This level of crony corruption between corporations and the federal government is a fascistic model which should raise concerns in every freedom-loving American.
Author: Elizabeth Tierney
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