Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-7) blasted the Biden administration’s depletion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve on Tuesday.
“Depleting our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to save face politically is completely reckless (and won’t ease gas prices),” said Green in a tweet.
Green’s criticism additionally amplified a tweet by the U.S. House Republican Caucus, which said, “President Biden has continued to recklessly deplete the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is meant for war or major weather events, for his political benefit. Now, the SPR is at its lowest point since 1987.”
According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, our nation’s stockpiles of Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) fell to 538 million barrels, which is the lowest level since 1987.
The Biden administration has released roughly 3.9 million barrels of sour crude oil and 1.1 million barrels of sweet crude into the market.
In late May, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced an “additional Notice of Sale of up to 40.1 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).”
That announcement is part of the Biden administration’s pledge “to release one million barrels of crude oil a day for six months.”
According to the U.S. DOE, 90 million barrels will be released between May and August through two notices of sale totaling 70 million barrels and 20 million barrels from ongoing emergency sales. DOE has been executing on this announcement releasing oil from the Reserve at approximately that rate over the last several weeks.”
The Biden administration blames Putin’s war on Ukraine for the rising energy costs but has neglected to address domestic energy policy concerns.
According to the Gas Misery Index, as of May 27, Tennesseans are paying an additional $833 per year on gas and Americans nationwide are spending an additional $819 a year.
A chart on Gas Buddy shows that nationwide average gas prices per gallon continue to set 10-year record highs as do the averages in Tennessee.
The issue was clearly on the U.S. representative’s mind today as he made a serious of public tweets on gas prices and inflation.
Green tweeted later on Tuesday, “Energy independence = national security. Border security = national security. Why doesn’t President Biden care?”
“FACT → Inflation will cost Americans over $5,000 this year. Doesn’t sound like you’re making “enormous strides” to fix #Bidenflation to me, Mr. President,” added Green in another tweet.
“Say it with me: American. Energy. Independence. NOW,” concluded Green.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, and Parler.
More of Biden’s pandering to his Green New Deal handlers. They are trying to deplete the reserve so that it won’t be available. Then we have to depend on solar power, or windmills , or whatever useless whim they make up. What it amounts to is a return to the feudal system with zero middle class and total government control.
Congressman Green is right to criticize the release of the petroleum reserve! Green is out of touch with people in the 7th congressional district! He supports foreign wars and giving away our tax money to foreign countries! Our seniors are having a hard time make it financially and he does nothing to promote a balanced budget agreement/amendment! To make the social security system solvent! Green is another resin we need term limits!!
Rep Green can make all the noise he wants but once he voted for the additional $40 billion for Ukraine/ngos/defense contractors he lost my vote. And yes, I live in CD7. I’ve been sorry since 2010 that I lost Rep DeJarlais as my rep. Rep Green has been a disappointment and maybe there will be a real conservative challenger to put us out of our misery with him.