The Biden Administration is facing increasing opposition to its strategy for containing the oil and energy crisis caused by developments in Ukraine.
Criticism against Biden’s approach increased after a visit by administration officials to Venezuela early last month. The officials were accused of seeking to approach the Maduro regime in Venezuela to obtain an alternative source to Russian energy.
The administration's insistence on returning to the nuclear agreement with Iran, and the resulting release of Iranian oil, was also the subject of criticism.
On Friday, Republican Rep. Gary Palmer introduced a bill condemning the Biden Administration for looking to Venezuela and Iran to provide oil to the US.
“Energy and gas prices began to rise as soon as President Biden took office. Within his first weeks in office, he shut down domestic energy production by closing the Keystone Pipeline and putting a moratorium on production on federal lands,” Palmer commented, criticizing President Joe Biden’s energy policies.
“For the last year, we bought oil from Russia, which lined Putin’s coffers as he prepared to attack Ukraine,” Palmer noted.
“Biden is now negotiating with Venezuela and Iran for it, other dictatorships which hate American values and regularly commit human rights abuses. This is unconscionable and nonsensical,” Palmer added.
Palmer reminded that the US sits on an abundance of energy resources, and that it makes no sense to rely on enemy regimes for oil when it could be produced in the US.
“It undermines our economy, emboldens our enemies, and weakens our position on the world stage,’ Palmer warned.
“American energy independence will lead to a more prosperous America and a safer world,” Palmer continued.
“My colleagues and I are proud to introduce this resolution to censure the Biden Administration’s actions in seeking to purchase Venezuelan and Iranian oil and to call on the President to prioritize American energy independence,” Palmer concluded.
