Lankford Prioritizes American Energy, Jobs over Biden Begging Foreign Countries for Oil

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), along with Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Hoeven (R-ND), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) to introduce the Strategic Production Response (SPR) Act to prioritize American energy production.

The bill prohibits the Secretary of Energy from tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for reasons other than a severe energy supply interruption until the Secretary of the Interior issues a plan to increase oil and gas production on federal lands and waters. 

“It’s ridiculous that Biden would try to ‘cancel’ traditional energy production here at home and then propose using our emergency reserves of oil when Oklahomans start to feel the pain of Biden’s energy-killing policies at the pump,” said Lankford. “Our bill, which requires the government to have a plan to increase energy production on public lands if they want to release any oil from the strategic petroleum reserve, ensures the federal government can’t just beg OPEC, Russia, and others for foreign oil while holding back domestic energy production. This is a yet another moment we will stand up against Biden putting his climate-change agenda over American jobs and energy needs.”

“President Biden’s decision to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is not a solution for the skyrocketing energy prices that American families are facing.” said Barrasso. “Before tapping the Reserve for political reasons, our bill requires the administration to issue a plan to boost federal oil and natural gas production. The Strategic Production Response Act provides a real solution to the Biden administration’s reckless policies. America is stronger and safer when we are energy independent.” 

“Since taking office, President Biden has worked to destroy Made in America and Made in Montana energy every step of the way—from killing the Keystone XL pipeline to halting new oil and gas leases on federal lands. Now, President Biden is begging OPEC to produce more oil and is tapping into the nation’s oil reserve to try and cover up the ramifications of his disastrous anti-American energy policies. These desperate moves are not the solution—investing in American energy production is, which includes oil and gas. Instead of tapping into emergency reserves, we need to boost domestic production, and any reserves removed in an effort to cover up his mistakes must be refilled, it’s as simple as that,” said Daines. 

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