Blog - President Biden's Assault on American Energy

Op-Ed

By Rep. Markwayne Mullin

It was no secret President Biden planned to destroy the oil and gas industry if elected president and in the first week of his administration, he took action to do just that. American energy production plays a vital role in our country's job creation and economic growth, especially in Oklahoma. His assault on the oil and gas industry will threaten our national security, raise prices for American families, and kill jobs.

Within hours of being sworn in, President Biden issued an executive order cancelling a key permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. The economic impact of this is significant. It will directly cost 2,000 American jobs, with many already laid-off, and severely impact thousands more. Over 100 miles of the pipeline have already been constructed and billions of dollars have been invested in both the U.S. and Canada.

No president should have the authority to unilaterally cancel such a large project that brings good-paying jobs and economic development to our country. That's why I introduced the Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act, which will prevent further political decisions from destroying the energy industry.

President Biden also signed another executive order banning new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters. During the Obama Administration, these same policies resulted in gas prices higher than $4 per gallon, utility bills that skyrocketed, and thousands of jobs lost. This is the last thing we need during a global pandemic when many families are already struggling to make ends meet.

With the stroke of a pen, years-worth of progress toward American energy independence was undone. President Biden promised to work for all Americans in his inaugural address, but these unilateral executive actions are taking our country in the wrong direction. I will continue to fight back against these reckless decisions.

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