[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 16, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8511-H8512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ADDRESSING THE DIESEL SHORTAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, every few weeks, we read 
headlines of another crisis: baby formula; fertilizer; and now another 
important input, diesel fuel.
  This administration not only continues to turn a blind eye but 
perpetuates harmful policies that worsen these crises.
  From day one, President Biden has launched a war on American energy, 
and now it must end. Through executive actions, the Biden 
administration paused domestic production of oil while limiting and 
disincentivizing investments in American energy infrastructure and 
refining capacity.
  On his very first day in office, President Biden canceled the 
Keystone XL pipeline, thus declaring war on our domestic energy 
production. Seven days later, he paused new oil and gas leasing on 
public lands and offshore waters. Then, in November 2021, the EPA 
proposed new source performance methane standards on the oil and 
natural gas industry, tying the hands of smaller producers.

[[Page H8512]]

  Just last week, at COP 27, President Biden doubled down on this 
proposal and announced even more burdensome requirements on U.S. oil 
and gas sources. Meanwhile, Americans were pumping away their paychecks 
as prices for gas and home heating skyrocketed.
  This administration needs to refocus its priorities by increasing 
domestic energy production, expediting pipeline permitting, and 
abandoning burdensome rulemakings that are harming American 
agriculture.
  Let's face facts. America's farm families and consumers have 
struggled with fractured supply chains, skyrocketing input costs, and 
historic levels of inflation, economic woes exacerbated by 
congressional Democrats' excessive spending and the Biden 
administration's burdensome regulatory agenda. Under this 
administration, farm production expenses are up nearly $80 billion, led 
by an 84 percent, or $21 billion, increase in fertilizer expenses and a 
65 percent increase in fuel expenses.
  As the Biden administration's self-inflicted energy crisis surges 
into a diesel shortage, they continually pass the buck by blaming 
domestic energy producers.
  Further, Biden's regulatory assault destroys any incentive for 
domestic energy producers to invest in energy infrastructure, which 
worsens energy market volatility and increases costs for vital farm 
inputs such as diesel fuel and fertilizer.
  In October 2022, EIA reported the distillate fuel oil inventory at 
106 million. This is the lowest stock since 2008; the lowest stock for 
this time of the year since 1982; and, in some regions, the lowest 
inventory since 1950.
  Diesel fuel is used every day to power farm and ranch equipment and 
deliver goods to the marketplace. This Biden-inflicted diesel crisis 
further exacerbates record inflation, skyrocketing farm input costs, 
and consumer prices. The national average price for diesel fuel per 
gallon is $5.36 a gallon, an increase of $1.71, or 50 percent, from 
this time just last year.
  By gambling away American energy and resource independence in the 
name of climate change, the Biden administration has harmed the very 
industry, U.S. agriculture, that contributes to 13 percent of the 
annual greenhouse gas sequestration.
  Just this past summer, President Biden went to the Saudis and begged 
OPEC+ to increase production. Instead of relying on our adversaries and 
asking them to produce more, we should be focused on the responsible 
development of America's own abundant natural resources.
  Mr. Speaker, Republicans have solutions focused on reversing 
industry-crushing regulations and market signals, unleashing production 
of crude oil, streamlining permitting and environmental review 
processes, and restoring refining capacity.
  We must reverse this self-inflected crisis and unleash our domestic 
energy production.

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