A group of House Republicans, led by New Mexico Rep. Yvette Herrell, sent a letter Tuesday to President Joe Biden calling on him to commit to producing oil and gas in the U.S. They’re also asking the commander in chief to visit energy-producing regions of the U.S. and meet with Americans who work in the energy industry.
In the letter, first obtained by the Daily Caller, Herrell and 68 House Republicans express their concern with Biden over reports that he is considering asking Saudi Arabia and other countries to export oil to the U.S. The lawmakers slam Biden in the letter, saying just years ago the U.S. was producing more oil and natural gas than any country in the world and that his administration is hurting Americans by having to rely on authoritarian regimes.
"President Biden and the radicals in his administration seem hellbent on destroying American oil and gas, which have been a vital part of our economy and national security for decades. Now that reality has hit them in the face and prices skyrocketed due to their reckless policies, President Biden is going hat-in-hand to Saudi Arabia and foreign adversaries like Venezuela to beg for oil. The solution is clear to anyone not blinded by ideology: produce oil and gas in America NOW. It is good for our country and good for the free world,"Herrell told the Daily Caller before sending the letter.
The letter was signed by a number of members in House Leadership, such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik.
In June, the national average price of gas rose to more than $5 per gallon. Over Memorial Day weekend, the national average for gasoline rose to a new record high of $4.62 a gallon.
In August of 2021, the Biden administration called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to boost oil production as a way to fight rising gasoline prices. The lawmakers believe the U.S. should be relying on its own workers and energy-producing regions in the U.S., not foreign countries.
The Daily Caller contacted the White House about the letter and it did not immediately respond.
