The US House of Representatives on Friday passed legislation to restrict the executive branch's use of the national Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and develop a plan to bolster domestic energy production, despite threats by US President Joe Biden to veto the bill
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th January, 2023) The US House of Representatives on Friday passed legislation to restrict the executive branch's use of the national Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and develop a plan to bolster domestic energy production, despite threats by US President Joe Biden to veto the bill.
The House passed the Strategic Production Response Act in a vote of 221-205, with one Democrat joining Republicans in favor of the bill.
The legislation requires the US Energy Department to stop abusing the SPR and craft a plan to increase oil and gas production on federal lands to offset any additional drawdowns from the strategic reserve, according to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
"The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was created by Congress to respond to oil supply disruptions, such as natural disasters. Sadly, President Biden has used the SPR as his own personal piggy bank and tapped into our emergency reserves to try to bail out his administration's extreme climate agenda and lower gas prices. As a result, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is now at its lowest level since 1983," Scalise said in a statement.
Earlier this week, the White House said Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass the Senate and reach his desk. The SPR is a critical energy security tool, the White House added.
The House of Representatives also passed a resolution earlier this month banning the sale of SPR oil to China.�
