The Biden administration has continued its anti-American, “green” energy policies even as they have resulted in record-high costs for Americans.
On Wednesday, Biden’s Interior Department announced it would cancel three major offshore oil and gas lease sales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Mexico. With this action, the federal government has ended all oil and gas leases in those areas. Additionally, the number of oil and gas drilling permits on public lands fell significantly between April 2021, when Biden’s policies began taking effect, and March 2022.
American consumers have felt the brunt of Biden’s anti-energy policies. Gas prices have risen to record highs, with the average price for gas in the U.S. reaching $4.37 a gallon on Tuesday. In some locations in California, the average price of gas is over $6 a gallon; diesel fuel also has risen to record levels.
During the 2020 presidential election, when on the debate stage, Joe Biden promised, “I would transition from the oil industry, yes.” Biden is keeping that promise to destroy America’s energy industry — since his administration took office in January 2021, it has implemented multiple anti-American policies that have decimated energy independence and led to skyrocketing prices. The energy fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was merely the latest development in this.
Among multiple other destructive actions designed to implement the “Green New Deal” and the “Great Reset,” Biden killed the Keystone XL pipeline, rejoined the Paris climate agreement, illegally banned oil and natural gas lease sales on federal land, increased taxes on energy companies already operating on federal land, and appointed multiple anti-energy leftists to key federal positions. Even as most other countries maintained or increased fossil fuel use, Biden has irrationally and ideologically tried to end their use in the U.S.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden’s policies had resulted in soaring energy prices. Additionally, the U.S. lost its energy independence: Biden, who claimed to oppose Russia in 2020, massively increased Russian oil imports — before announcing the U.S. would end them without an accompanying increase in domestic production — to compensate for decimated domestic production. In other words, the Biden administration financed Russia’s war machine, making its invasion of Ukraine possible.
Biden and his officials have claimed they cannot do anything to help American consumers. However, this is factually wrong: Congress and the president can dramatically reduce gas prices by immediately increasing domestic energy production and restoring energy independence. Two bills in Congress have been introduced that would comprehensively accomplish this: S. 3714 and H.R. 6884, both titled the American Energy Independence Act.
S. 3714 is sponsored by Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), while H.R. 6884 is sponsored by Representative Ronny Jackson (R-Texas). If enacted, these bills would reverse many of Biden’s destructive energy policies, remove government regulations that stifle energy production, and ultimately restore American energy independence. If Congress is serious about lowering energy prices and helping American consumers, it would be wise to enact S. 3714 and H.R. 6884.
The United States is in a perilous position, but the solutions already exist. Ultimately, it is up to the American people, through education and informed action, to put an end to Biden’s radical anti-energy agenda and the broader conspiracy against liberty.
To urge your U.S. representative and senators to support S. 3714 and H.R. 6884, to reverse Biden’s anti-American energy policies and fully restore American energy independence, visit The John Birch Society’s legislative alert here.
