Cathy McMorris Rodgers: Biden Abused Strategic Petroleum Reserve as ‘Election-Year Gimmick’

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said in a statement on Tuesday that Democrats have continued to abuse the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), while Republicans want to lower gas prices by “unleashing American energy.”

“At a time when gas prices are on the rise, Secretary Granholm and the Biden administration need to be transparent with the American people about their efforts to cover up how they’ve abused the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as an election-year gimmick,” McMorris said in a written statement. “Republicans want durable, long-lasting relief at the pump. The best way to do this is by unleashing American energy, which is what H.R. 21 accomplishes.”

Rodgers sought to rebuke comments from Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who contended that H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, would raise energy prices. The legislation would limit Biden’s ability to draw down the SPR until the Energy Department develops a plan to increase the oil and natural gas leasing on federal lands. The bill, sponsored by Rodgers, is widely supported and has 31 cosponsors.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also accused Republicans of “forcing” Americans to pay higher gas prices with their proposal:

The White House

Rodgers’ office said in a press release that gas prices have remained higher since Biden took office and that the bill would incentivize Biden to increase more oil and natural gas production.

Rodgers’ office said in a press release, “Rather, it discourages politically-motivated, “non-emergency” SPR sales and if the bill passes, it will increase the lands available for oil and gas production, which will make gas more affordable and improve our overall energy security.”

“There are plenty of barriers to unleashing domestic oil and gas production, including burdensome regulations and this administration’s discouragement of financial investment in domestic oil and gas industries,” Energy and Commerce Republicans continued. “The U.S. continues to produce well below its peak production of 13 million barrels of oil a day in 2019. We need to unleash American energy with increased production and more pipeline capacity.”

Breitbart News Economics Editor John Carney has documented multiple times how the Biden administration’s release of the SPR has not lowered gas prices.