U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on Monday led 43 Republican original cosponsors in introducing legislation that would strengthen United States energy security and encourage domestic production of crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers sponsored the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, H.R. 6858, which now has 72 GOP cosponsors, including lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR).
“America’s energy dominance is our strongest weapon against Putin,” Rep. McMorris Rodgers and Rep. Westerman said in a joint statement released on Feb. 28. “Today, we are introducing the American Energy Independence from Russia Act that would require President Biden to make an energy security plan within 30 days and take action to unleash America’s oil and natural gas production to offset Russian imports.”
If enacted, the president’s plan under H.R. 6858 would have to include an evaluation of United States crude oil, petroleum product and natural gas imports and exports; an energy security risk assessment by country of origin for importing crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas to the U.S.; and strategies, including changes to federal policies and regulations, to encourage increased domestic production of crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas in order to offset any amounts of those products imported to the U.S. from Russia, according to the bill’s text.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers and her colleague also said that H.R. 6858 would immediately approve the Keystone XL pipeline, unleash U.S. LNG exports to boost natural gas production, restart oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, and “protect energy and mineral development from attacks by the Biden administration,” according to their joint statement.
“Putin and Russia’s economy are dependent upon dominating energy production and exporting to other nations. He gains power by doing so, and it’s what funds his military and aggressive behavior,” the lawmakers said. “To counter Putin, our bill flips the switch to promote American energy jobs, production and exports.”