Bono Mack Says Decision to Release Oil From Reserve Ingores Larger Problem

Statement

Reacting to a decision today by the White House to release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) released the following statement:

"With gasoline prices doubling since President Obama took office, America needs a comprehensive national energy plan, not a politically expedient 'the election-is-just-around-the-corner' plan. How else can you explain the White House's latest head-scratching decision? Why would you release oil from America's emergency stockpiles, yet oppose drilling off the coast of Alaska? Politics aside, it makes absolutely no sense.

"Just yesterday, the House passed a bill which would end OCS permitting delays, produce more than one million barrels of oil a day for America and create 54,000 U.S. jobs. Predictably, the White House opposes that legislation, and opts instead for a short-term fix by releasing oil that is intended to be used only in national emergencies.

"In making his decision, the President referred to, among other things, supply disruptions in countries like Libya. That's exactly the point. As long as America remains dangerously dependent on unstable foreign oil supplies, this problem will only get repeated again and again.

"We need to dramatically increase energy production here at home. It's time for an 'all-of-the-above' approach to energy that includes more American-produced oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear, along with alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower and geothermal. This will drive down prices, create new American jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, strengthen our national security and maintain the strategic petroleum reserve for real national emergencies -- not imagined ones."

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