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Representative Angie Craig Urges President Biden to Tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

November 23, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Angie Craig and a group of her House Democratic colleagues sent a letter to President Biden urging him to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and reinstate a ban on crude oil exports to bring down high gasoline and fuel prices in the United States. In the letter, Craig and her colleagues argued that a ban on oil exports coupled with a release from the SPR could boost domestic supplies and further lower energy prices for consumers.

"We write to express support for your actions to help Americans who are burdened with high gasoline and fuel prices. We know ensuring affordable and reliable energy is a top priority for your administration," wrote the Members. "We must use all tools at our disposal to bring down gasoline prices in the short term"

The members' letter follows outreach from Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who also called on the Biden Administration to take immediate action to address rising energy costs in the United States. Craig was joined in sending the letter by Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Cindy Axne (IA-03), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Katie Porter (CA-45), and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07).

You can find the full text of the letter below.

November 22, 2021

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Biden:

We write to express support for your actions to help Americans who are burdened with high gasoline and fuel prices. We know ensuring affordable and reliable energy is a top priority for your administration. We must use all tools at our disposal to bring down gasoline prices in the short term. We agree with Senator Reed and our other colleagues in the Senate that have called for a ban on crude oil exports and a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The price of oil is significantly affected by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC is manipulating gas prices by constraining supply so that it will not meet the increased demand. A ban on U.S. crude oil exports will boost domestic supply and put downward pressure on prices for American families. We also support using the additional funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program from the American Rescue Plan to help families with heating costs this winter.

In the medium and long term, we must achieve energy independence and price stability through climate smart investments. We appreciate that your Build Back Better agenda will save families an average of $500 a year on energy costs. Electrifying our cars, investing in public transit, and supporting electricity generation from renewables like solar, wind, and geothermal will reduce demand for gasoline, bring down the price at the pump, and provide long term stability. These investments will break our reliance on the boom-and-bust cycle of gas prices and put our country on track to meet our climate goals.

The investment in renewable energy will eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and ensure we win the competition for a clean energy future against our global competitors. We want the solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and batteries of the future made in America and not in China. We should not be importers but lead the world in clean energy jobs and products.

We respectfully ask that you give these options and others your full and fair consideration, consistent with applicable statutes and regulations to ensure affordable and reliable energy for American families. We look forward to working with you on this urgent issue.

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