Skip to main content

Unleash American Energy Independence

March 4, 2022
Weekly Columns

This week, President Biden delivered his first State of the Union address to the nation. While I appreciated his unifying message about standing with Ukraine and using our economic might to counter Russian President Vladimir Putin, I urge the President to go further in supporting our ally. There are steps we can take today to pressure Russia and minimize economic blowback at home. After President Biden canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline, put a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters, and implemented burdensome regulations on energy producers, we have predictably become even more dependent on foreign powers like Russia to meet energy demands, both now and for years to come. Thankfully, even some Democrats agree that we must stop funding Putin’s war machine by ceasing buying energy from Russia immediately. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Thursday, “I’m all for that. Ban it.” Unfortunately, we disagree on how to make that possible.

Last week, I introduced the “American Energy Independence from Russia Act” with Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). This bill would require President Biden to increase U.S. energy production to offset Russian imports. America’s energy dominance is our strongest weapon against Putin. Putin and Russia’s economy are dependent upon dominating energy production and exporting to other nations. He gains power by doing so, and it’s what funds his military and aggressive behavior.

To counter Putin, the “American Energy Independence from Russia Act” flips the switch to promote jobs, production, and exports. America must shut down Putin’s war chest and stop bloodshed in Ukraine, and this legislation is a vital step in achieving those goals.

We currently import over half a million barrels of oil from Russia per day, costing the United States roughly $70 million per day. If it had not been canceled, the Keystone XL Pipeline would have provided over 800,000 barrels per day when it was finished in several years. While some folks are concerned about the environmental consequences of domestic energy production, the truth of the matter is, the oil we buy from Russia is mined and refined using processes that are significantly dirtier than our processes here.  When President Biden hamstrung U.S. energy production in his first few days in office, he did so with the promise of new Green jobs that would provide for our energy needs.  Over a year into his presidency, those jobs have not appeared. While renewable energy is important and will become more reliable in the future, oil demand will not go away overnight. It is vital for us to prioritize energy independence to avoid the crisis we are currently facing when a bad actor like Russia can easily turn off the tap to the U.S. or Europe.

President Putin is a thug and a war criminal who must be stopped. The world must be united in cutting off Putin at the knees if there is any chance of preventing the dictator from continuing his aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere. I call on Speaker Pelosi to bring my bill to the floor for a vote immediately. Ukraine has little time to wait.

Issues:Foreign AffairsNatural Resources