U.S. Reps. Bryan Steil (R-WI), Frank Lucas (R-OK), and Carol Miller (R-WV) joined more than 140 Republicans raising concerns with President Joe Biden about the rising prices of oil and gas and asking that he adopt an American-energy-first policy.
“Since becoming president of the United States in January, President Biden has enacted policies killing North American energy projects and discouraging energy production in the U.S. while at the same time green-lighting a Russian pipeline,” Rep. Steil said. “On his very first day in office, I raised concerns that ending the Keystone Pipeline would cost jobs and impact prices. I asked President Biden to reverse those policies.”
“Unfortunately, the president has refused to reconsider his policies and Americans are paying more at the pump and more on their energy bills as a result,” said Rep. Steil, who along with his colleagues sent an Oct. 14 letter to Biden urging him to reverse its request that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) increase oil production and instead embrace U.S. energy needs with American-produced energy.
The Biden administration recently requested that OPEC and 10 other oil-exporting nations, known collectively as OPEC+, produce more oil to fight rising gas prices for American consumers, according to the lawmakers, who pointed out that OPEC+ includes nations that are known American adversaries, such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.
“It is not in America’s interest to rely on these nations for energy,” wrote the lawmakers, who suggested instead that barriers be eliminated to American-produced oil and natural gas and its infrastructure, which would increase American economic and job growth, enhance national and energy security, lower energy prices, and result in reduced global emissions.
They also noted that Biden’s recent request of OPEC+ is consistent with “a number of anti-American energy policies” that are supported by his administration and congressional Democrats.
“We ask that you work with us to preserve America’s energy security and reverse your administration’s disastrous energy policies that will make us dependent on countries like China and Russia,” wrote the lawmakers. “Instead of making unilateral decisions that ultimately harm our nation’s energy supply and security, work with Congress — including House Republicans — who share the view that lowering energy costs for Americans and increasing American competitiveness is of critical importance.”