Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans, led by Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), today sent a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm demanding answers and transparency following reports that the Secretary consulted with the Chinese Communist Party’s top energy official, Zhang Jianhua, days before the Biden administration announced it would release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in 2021.

KEY LETTER EXCERPTS:

"We are troubled by recent reports that you, in your official capacity as Secretary of Energy, had multiple conversations with the Chinese Communist Party’s top energy official just days before the Biden administration announced it would release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in 2021. This is concerning given the Department of Energy’s (DOE) mismanagement of the SPR, which has left our country more vulnerable to energy supply disruptions and strengthened the leverage of our adversaries to use energy as a geopolitical weapon."

[...]

"The Biden administration has helped support China’s national security at the expense of our own security by using our strategic energy supplies to help the Chinese build up their own strategic reserves. The House of Representatives, led by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, has worked to protect against this abuse by passing H.R. 22, the Protecting American’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act to prohibit the Biden administration from selling any products from the reserve to China, and H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, to ensure the reserve is adequately available during a true emergency.

“Despite these Congressional efforts to hold the Biden administration accountable for undermining our energy security, the DOE apparently is still looking to China as an example and allegedly coordinating with them prior to SPR releases. China poses one of the greatest economic, security, and geopolitical threats to the United States, while continuing to be one the world’s worst polluters. As a result of this administration’s war on American energy and political abuse of the SPR, Americans have become more vulnerable to true energy and national security emergencies while China has profited.” 

The members requested information, including the following, by August 21, 2023: 

• All communications, and any documents referring to or relating to those communications, between yourself and officials, employees, or representatives of the Chinese government, including the National Energy Administration, regarding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve since February 25, 2021, as well as the following information and documents:
• The name and job title of all officials, employees, or representatives of the Chinese government who participated in the communications.
• The name and job title of all United States government officials, employees, or contractors who participated in the communications.
• The date of such communications.
• The topics of discussion of such communications.
• Any notes, summaries, memoranda, or readouts produced regarding communications.
• All briefing materials, notes, or preparatory documents produced to assist in your preparation for such communications.
• All documents and communications referring or relating to scheduling a call with Director Zhang Jianhua and yourself.
• All documents and communications referring or relating to your November 19, 2021, and November 21, 2021, calls with Director Zhang Jianhua.
• Any and all briefing materials, notes, or preparatory documents produced to assist in your preparation for your November 19, 2021, and November 21, 2021, calls with Director Zhang Jianhua.

CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

CLICK HERE to read Chair Rodgers’ statement on Secretary Granholm’s secret conversations with the top CCP energy official. 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

• In June 2022, E&C Republican Leaders demanded answers from Secretary Granholm on her management of the SPR and how China is taking advantage of the Biden administration’s use of our strategic fuel reserves.
• In November 2022, Chair Rodgers and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Republican Leader John Barrasso (R-WY) sent a letter to Secretary Granholm raising concerns about potential damage to the SPR due to President Biden’s unprecedented drawdowns and DOE’s mismanagement of the national security asset.
• In January 2023, the House passed H.R 22, the Protecting American’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act, led by Chair Rodgers, by a bipartisan vote 331-97. The bill protects our energy security by prohibiting the Biden administration from selling any products from the SPR to China, or any entity that intends to export the products to China.
• In January 2023, the House passed H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, which would help ensure the SPR is available during a true energy emergency and not abused for non-emergency, political purposes.
• In March 2023, Energy and Commerce Republicans called on Secretary Grandholm to testify immediately following her public comments praising China.
• In May 2023, House and Senate Republican energy leaders requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluate DOE’s mismanagement of the SPR, which has increased our reliance on foreign energy sources.