Bilirakis Discusses Current Energy Crisis with Local Electric Cooperative
Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis met with leaders of the Seminole Electric Cooperative about the energy crisis Americans are currently facing. Bilirakis is a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over federal energy policy. For years, he has been working to eliminate barriers to domestic energy production and encourage economic growth by modernizing the nation's energy infrastructure. More recently, he has also been a vocal critic of the Biden Administration's deliberate efforts to undermine American energy independence, which have caused gas prices to surge throughout the country.
"Extreme ideology and overly-burdensome government regulations are the prevailing winds within this Administration and consumers are the ones suffering. America needs to once again be in the driver seat when it comes to developing safe, reliable, and affordable energy sources," Bilirakis told the group. "To provide relief to consumers and strengthen our national security, we must restore American energy independence. This starts by ramping up domestic production and removing the barriers the Biden implementation has erected in order to promote its radical green agenda.
Bilirakis was also very critical of President Biden's recent raiding of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Bilirakis noted. "As of today, the average price of gas in Florida is once again rising, with the national average hovering around $4.00. While prices are a little better than the nearly $5.00 per gallon we paid just a few weeks ago, Americans are still paying almost $2.00 more per gallon than they were on the day President Biden was sworn into office. However, that slight dip in fuel prices has come at a VERY high cost to our emergency preparedness and long-term national security."
One of the primary reasons for the recent decrease in gas prices cited by the Biden Administration is the drainage of the SPR. The Treasury Department just credited Biden's historic SPR release with reducing the price of gas by an estimated 17-42 cents per gallon. In March of this year, President Biden ordered another 180 million barrels of oil to be released from the SPR. As part of that plan, he has been selling one million barrels of oil per day from our nation's SPR to the highest bidder-- even when that bidder is a company owned by the Chinese government.
"It is unconscionable that House Democrats blocked an amendment on the Floor which would have protected our stockpile and expressly prohibited the sale of America's strategic crude oil reserves to China. U.S. reserves, which are at their lowest level since 1986, are designed to be used only in true emergencies, like hurricanes or other catastrophic events. They are not supposed to be used as a political gimmick to provide short-term relief in gas prices. The America-last policies pursued by the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats are benefitting our leading adversaries while jeopardizing our long-term national security and economic stability.
The House Energy and Commerce Republicans have unveiled a comprehensive plan including more than 25 individual bills to secure America's energy future and provide a competitive advantage against China - the world's top carbon polluter. These solutions will help modernize our infrastructure and ensure America continues to lead the world in reducing emissions- while keeping energy costs low for Americans.
"We all want clean air, clean water, and environmental protection; however, these goals things do not have to be achieved at the expense of jobs, prosperity, and national security. However, the best way to reduce emissions reductions is through innovation," Bilirakis offered. "We cannot continue to punish and handcuff American energy producers along the way. Fundamentally, I support an "all of the above" energy strategy that includes increasing domestic production, providing incentives for the development of renewable resources, and promoting conservation. New and emerging technologies will allow the United States to better harness the existing swath of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources that are available. The time to modernize our nation's power generation is now!