[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 6, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4201-H4202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             LEAVE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE FOR WARTIME

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, our strategic oil reserves are meant to be 
for emergency use, an emergency resource in time of war or other 
disaster.
  At such an uncertain time that we have, with Eastern Europe embroiled 
in a big conflict, it would be wise for us to keep the reserve full.
  Indeed, President Trump filled the reserve up at the time when prices 
were low on fuel. Now, President Biden thinks that by releasing this 
oil, it is going to somehow affect the price of oil

[[Page H4202]]

around the world and our own economy. It is not.
  So far, 80 million barrels have already been released, but it hasn't 
driven down prices. Instead, the reserves we have in the ground that 
oil people can produce for us are the things that are going to change 
oil prices, not tapping into our reserves.
  There is only going to be a few days' worth to run the country on, or 
bleeding it out over 180 days, 1 million barrels at a time.
  Tap into our energy we have so abundantly in this country. That will 
affect the market for us, for our allies in Europe, and actually truly 
make a big difference, instead of playing this little game with our oil 
reserves that doesn't do anything other than look like we are doing 
something.
  Let's get back to work on putting Americans to work and our energy 
dependability on us and not on others. I ask the President to change 
directions on this policy.

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