Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) is not a believer in the Biden administration’s decision to release 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a fix for the nation’s oil supply crunch.
Instead, the Kansas Republican called it a “Band-Aid” and a “political release valve” during an appearance on FNC’s “Your World” on Wednesday.
“It’s hard to believe that this administration would change course,” he said. “Once again, they’re trying to avoid doing the things that really need to be done, things that actually would make a difference, by opening up the supply from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. That’s a Band-Aid, doesn’t solve anything. It doesn’t make us more independent. And as the — as your previous interview indicated, that just sends a message to OPEC and others that they have got us over the barrels, no pun intended.”
So this needs to be a policy that’s about energy independence,” Moran continued. “And I can tell you that, as I have traveled Kansas the last couple of days, this is the topic of conversation, increasing costs, the supply chain problems, and making sure that people go back to work. So, inflation is front and center with Kansans, and I think with Americans. Even in my own life, I filled up my pickup truck this week, over $100 to fill up my truck. I have never had that. And we know that this inflation hurts the poorest among us more than others. And so I hope this administration changes course. And I appreciate the senator from West Virginia taking a strong position in regard to energy independence.”
“This is a — my view is that the president is using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, that release, for just a political release valve trying to make things look better,” he added. “And that’s what happens too often in Wichita — excuse me — in Washington, what happens in — not in Wichita, but in Washington. We just do things that make us look like we’re doing something that doesn’t really solve a problem. And the president did that with the Reserve.”
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