Valadao denounces sending U.S. petroleum reserves to China

U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) on July 20 offered a motion during floor debate in the U.S. House of Representatives to consider an amendment that would forbid the U.S. Energy Department from sending America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve resources to China.

“It is irresponsible and dangerous for the United States to provide a foreign adversary with fuel that we need to keep here in the United States in case of an emergency,” Rep. Valadao said. “It seems the Biden administration is helping to support China’s national security at the expense of our own.”

The congressman pointed out that supporting the amendment’s language would be “common sense, especially since we need to focus on increasing energy production and not supporting our adversaries while Americans are still suffering from outrageously high fuel prices here at home.”

The reserves, he said, are meant to be used only during emergencies, not when domestic energy production has been restricted.

“What is even more concerning is that under the Biden administration, our Strategic Petroleum Reserve supplies have been severely diminished,” said Rep. Valadao. “It does not make sense to me that we are using our already-depleted energy supplies to help China build up its own strategic reserves.” 

And while it has been suggested that selling resources from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve could help to reduce fuel prices domestically, the lawmaker said, “that is simply not true.”

“The very last thing we should be doing is sending our precious resources from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China,” he said. “I urge all of my colleagues to support United States national security by supporting this amendment.”

Nevertheless, every single House Democrat voted no on Rep. Valadao’s motion, according to his staff.