Marc Abear: State Democrats refuse to replenish strategic oil reserve

To The Daily Sun,

Democrats in the House of Representatives voted down a bill replenishing the U.S. strategic oil reserve. Dementia Joe authorized the largest release of oil in the history of the reserve. Democrats including New Hampshire Reps. Chris Pappas and Annie Kuster voted to kill the proposed Strategic Production Response Act. President Joe Biden drains the strategic oil reserve and the Democrats block efforts to replenish it.

The bill was sponsored by Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Fred Upton of Michigan, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington. The measure requires the Department of Energy to create a plan. The plan would increase domestic gas production on federal land. It is a prophylactic measure in the event the president releases more oil from the strategic reserve under non-emergency conditions.

Democrats blocked American energy production. This comes weeks after Biden ordered the release of 50 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Oil from the reserve is supposed to be reserved for emergency use only. Apparently, dipping poll numbers are justification for declaration of an emergency.

The Biden decision to pull oil from the reserve was not in response to any emergency. It was prompted by the need to respond to mounting political pressure. That pressure comes from the unabated gas prices rise intentionally inflicted on average Americans, people making less than $400,000 per year. Retail gas prices have increased in NH by about 50% in under a year, since inauguration day.

The vote by Democrats is a step toward squandering America’s energy independence. It is pathetic bad judgment, harmful to their constituents to do this. Democrats voted against a measure to get energy workers back on the job. Anyone who votes against responsible energy development is also against American energy independence. They are also voting to intentionally make each of us poorer and keep us that way.

Domestic oil and gas production has been attacked by the Biden administration and the Democrats. Their campaign centered on promises to combat climate change through federal punitive measures. By executive order Biden canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline on his first day in office. He has moved to suspend oil and gas drilling on federal land. He continues begging OPEC to increase production. They respond by driving up prices. You voted for this predictable outcome.

Biden’s release of oil from the reserve threatens American energy and national security. Congress created the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to deal with emergency conditions. Those would include disruptions in oil supply during natural disasters or because of war. The reserve is not there to bailout the president’s anti-fossil fuel agenda. It is not a tool of political poll relief. Democrat leadership is what Democrat leadership is. Is it time for a change yet?

Marc Abear

Meredith