News
Energy, Climate, & Grid Security

Chair Rodgers Statement on Biden Draining the SPR to New Low with No Plan to Refill

Feb 15, 2023
Energy, Climate, & Grid Security
Press Release

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement about President Biden continuing to drain the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) for political purposes and with no plan for refilling it.

“Despite knowing these mandated sales were coming, President Biden drained our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the lowest level since 1983 to cover up his war on American energy that is raising prices across our entire economy. President Biden has turned a longtime bipartisan strategic asset into a political tool with no plan to refill it. He has weakened our energy security, hurt our ability to respond to true emergencies, and emboldened the Chinese Communist Party. It isn’t sustainable. That is why one of our first orders of business this Congress was stop President Biden from abusing the SPR.

“Tomorrow, the Energy and Commerce Committee will be in Texas to make the case for why we must unleash American energy to grow the economy, lower prices, and bolster our national security. We will continue to keep the pressure on President Biden to stop his reckless agenda that is threatening our future.”

Note: The House Energy and Commerce Committee will convene a Subcommittee on Energy, Climate Change, and Grid Security Field Hearing on Thursday, February 16, 2023, in Texas. The hearing is titled “American Energy Expansion: Improving Local Economies and Communities’ Way of Life.”

CLICK HERE to tune in at 10:30 AM CT / 11:30 AM ET.

In January, the People’s House passed:

  • H.R. 22, the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act, with a bipartisan vote of 331-97. This bill will stop the Biden administration from selling our SPR to China, which threatens both our energy security and national security.
  • H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, passed the House last month with a bipartisan vote. This bill will stop the Biden administration from draining our SPR for non-emergency, political purposes to cover-up the disastrous effects of its anti-American energy agenda.