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Balderson Backs Legislation to Stop Biden Administration Misuse of America's Emergency Petroleum Stockpile

“The American people want affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for America, not short-term political gimmicks."

Washington, D.C., January 26, 2023
  • SPR

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Troy Balderson delivered remarks on the House Floor today in support of The Strategic Production Response Act (H.R. 21), legislation aimed at unleashing America’s abundant natural resources and ensuring the U.S. is prepared for true energy supply emergencies.

Established in 1975, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) was intended to respond to national emergencies and to address severe supply disruption, not to manipulate gasoline prices.

Last year, President Biden sold an unprecedented 250 million barrels of oil in less than two years, which is more than 40 percent of the stockpile.

Earlier this month, House Republicans passed the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act, cosponsored by Rep. Balderson, to stop the Administration from transferring SPR supplies to subsidiaries held by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The CCP, which received 900,000 barrels from the U.S. stockpile as a result of President Biden's drawdown last year, now possesses the world's largest government-controlled petroleum reserve.

H.R. 21 requires the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan to increase the percentage of federal lands and waters leased for oil and gas production alongside any non-emergency SPR release. This increase in domestic production would make up for the amount of oil drawn down from the non-emergency release.

Watch Rep. Balderson's Floor remarks and view a transcript below:

“Mister Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, led by our Energy and Commerce Committee Chair McMorris Rodgers.

“I’m proud to cosponsor and support this bill, which holds the Biden Administration, and future Administrations, accountable for misusing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

“Under President Biden’s watch, the stockpile has been depleted by an alarming 40% - falling to its lowest level since 1984.

“Established in 1975, the SPR was intended to respond to national emergencies and to address severe supply disruptions, not to manipulate gasoline prices.

“This bill is quite simple: it requires the Secretary of Energy to submit a plan to increase domestic energy production with any non-emergency drawdown of the SPR.

“And despite falsehoods from members of the President’s own Cabinet, this legislation provides clear exemptions for legitimate energy supply interruptions and only applies to non-emergency sales.

“The American people want affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for America, not short-term political gimmicks. That’s why I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 21.”

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