03.01.22

Hoeven Calls on President Biden to Empower Domestic Energy Production, Counter Reliance on Russian Oil and Gas

WASHINGTON – On the floor of the U.S. Senate today, Senator John Hoeven called on the Biden administration to reverse its harmful approach to U.S. energy production. The senator stressed the need to empower greater domestic energy production in order to bring down inflation, strengthen the economy, enhance national security and reduce America and Europe’s reliance on Russian oil and gas.

“Our economy, quality of life, and security depends on access to low-cost, dependable energy from all sources, both traditional and renewable. Unfortunately, the Biden administration’s hostile energy policies treat America’s abundant oil, gas and coal reserves as a liability,” said Hoeven.

“We are seeing the direct consequences of that approach, allowing investment and dollars to flow to energy producers like Russia, Iran and others, countries that leverage their own energy against our interests, with little to no regard for environmental stewardship. It’s time we harness our vast strategic energy reserves and maintain our status as a global energy powerhouse.

“To start, the Interior Department needs to immediately end the leasing moratorium and hold previously postponed lease sales, both onshore and offshore. We need to expand our energy infrastructure to ensure efficient delivery to consumers. This includes approving the Keystone XL pipeline, which I led legislation to do and we passed during the Obama administration. If President Obama hadn’t vetoed it, we’d have the infrastructure in place today to transport 830,000 barrels of oil a day, further strengthening our energy trade with Canada, one of our most important allies. It also includes building new natural gas pipelines to connect areas like New England to domestic gas reserves in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We need to expand liquefied natural gas exports to our European allies to provide cleaner, more efficient alternatives to Russian gas.

“In addition to strengthened national security, robust domestic energy production will help provide lower energy costs and relief from inflation for hardworking American families.”

Hoeven’s full remarks can be viewed here.

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