McCarthy: No Argument for Biden Use of SPR ‘Except the Political Argument’

Thursday, during an appearance on FNC’s “The Faulkner Focus,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) responded to reports that only 25 days of diesel supply is left in the United States.

McCarthy said the only possible justification for President Joe Biden’s use of the strategic petroleum reserve was political.

“This doesn’t have to be,” he said. “Two years ago, we were energy-independent. On the very first day that this president came in, where Democrats took total control of the House and the Senate, the first thing they did was to cut domestic ability to produce oil and gas.”

“And then when we got into trouble, what did he do?” McCarthy continued. He looked to other countries to solve it. He went to Saudi Arabia and lied to the American public, said he wasn’t trying to cut a deal, but we found that it was truthful, that he was not wanting them to cut production until after the election. He looks to Venezuela, to Iran. Why doesn’t he look to American domestic production? Not only would we lower the price of gas, you could fill up your tank and have money left over. You — America would be stronger, and the world would be safer.”

“Two years ago, we didn’t care what Russia or Saudi Arabia made a decision on production,” he explained. “Why? Because they looked at what the production was happening in America. All that will change in 12 days because what a commitment to America tells all of us is that we’ll become energy-independent. Not just here in America, but we could sell our natural gas around the world. That creates more jobs, more stability in America, greater growth and also a safer community around the world because people are not buying Putin’s oil. They’re buying American natural gas. And the environment is cleaner because American natural gas is 41% cleaner than Russian national gas.”

“There is no argument around this except the political argument that the Democrats use that makes America weaker and more dependent,” McCarthy added. “And what does he do? He uses our Strategic Petroleum Reserve for political purposes. Now he puts America in jeopardy if we have a national crisis. Another hurricane. He has put us in a weaker position not just economically but now on an emergency basis.”

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