On Friday, Rep. Gary Palmer introduced a bill condemning the Biden Administration for looking to Venezuela and Iran to provide oil to the United States. H.Res. 1020 calls on the Administration to take action to reestablish U.S. energy independence.
Last week, President Joe Biden began the order to release up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve to control energy prices that have spiked because of the sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Domestic oil production is equal to more than half of U.S. usage, but high prices have not led companies to return to their pre-pandemic levels of output. The U.S. is currently producing on average 11.7 million barrels daily, down from 13 million barrels in early 2020, the Associated Press reported.
In a press release, Palmer criticized Biden’s energy policies. “Energy and gas prices began to rise as soon as President Biden took office. Within his first weeks in office, he shut down domestic energy production by closing the Keystone Pipeline and putting a moratorium on production on federal lands,” Palmer commented.
“For the last year, we bought oil from Russia, which lined Putin’s coffers as he prepared to attack Ukraine. Biden is now negotiating with Venezuela and Iran for it, other dictatorships which hate American values and regularly commit human rights abuses. This is unconscionable and nonsensical. The United States sits on an abundance of energy resources. It makes no sense to rely on enemy regimes for our oil when we could produce it right here on our own lands. It undermines our economy, emboldens our enemies, and weakens our position on the world stage. American energy independence will lead to a more prosperous America and a safer world,” Palmer continued.
“My colleagues and I are proud to introduce this resolution to censure the Biden Administration’s actions in seeking to purchase Venezuelan and Iranian oil and to call on the President to prioritize American energy independence,” Palmer concluded.
On Twitter, Palmer stated, “Why is Biden turning to enemy regimes like Iran & Venezuela for oil when we could produce it? My colleagues & I introduced a resolution condemning the Administration for seeding oil from foreign dictators, & calling for prioritizing US energy independence.”
Rep. Mike Rogers is a cosponsor for the resolution and has also been critical of the Biden administration’s decision to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve recently.
On Twitter, Rogers stated, “Instead of unleashing the full power of America’s energy sector, President Biden has had to dip into our Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the 2nd time this month alone. Why won’t Biden just support American energy independence like President Trump?”
According to the Department of Energy, more than 568 million barrels of oil were held in the reserve as of March 25. The U.S. and 30 other countries agreed to release an additional 60 million barrels from reserves, with half of the total coming from the U.S.
Biden has tried to shame oil companies, saying the companies are focused on profits instead of putting out more barrels. He argued that adding to the oil supply was a patriotic obligation.
“This is not the time to sit on record profits: It’s time to step up for the good of your country,” Biden stated.
