Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) recently spoke on the Senate floor about the need to unleash American energy to counter the Biden administration’s radical climate policies.
Senator Barrasso also spoke about legislation he introduced this week to protect and prioritize America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and ban SPR sales to China.
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks
Excerpts from Sen. Barrasso’s remarks:
“I come to the floor today to talk about the need for more American energy. We are approaching the end of January.
“Winter storms have been covering the country from Colorado to Connecticut. We are seeing it everywhere: Temperatures drop. Energy prices go up.
“In a typical year, cold actually kills more Americans than extreme heat. This winter, millions of families are in danger of being left out in the cold because of the cost of energy.
“We know that more than 20 million households in America, right now, have fallen behind on their ability to pay their energy bills.
“Record-high inflation has robbed the American people of more than $10,000 for each and every family since Joe Biden has become President.
“Just look at what people were paying for things before he came into office and what they are paying today. As a result, people are able to save less, and they are having to pay more.
“We know that about two out of three American households are living paycheck to paycheck. Personal savings in this country is now at a record low; household debt is at a record high. People are having to borrow more money and put things on the credit card at higher and higher interest rates.
“At the same time, energy prices are dramatically higher than they were the day Joe Biden took office. The cost of heating oil is up by two-thirds. Natural gas is higher now than in a long time. Electricity is up by 20 cents on the dollar.
“As a result, there is actually the risk of people having their energy and their electricity shut off this winter. Some are doing it voluntarily because they don’t want the big bill that is going to come. It is hard to believe that it is happening here in the wealthiest country in the world.
“We have enough energy to keep every American warm this winter. Some of it, they won’t let us get out of the ground, but we have it.
“So it is an absolute disgrace, with the energy resources we have in this country, that Americans are facing brownouts and blackouts from an energy standpoint because of the Biden administration’s radical climate policies.
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“Our petroleum reserve is for America. It is for emergencies. It is for natural disasters. It is for war. It is not for China.
“This week, I am introducing legislation to make sure this never happens again. The House has already passed this legislation. The vote was completely bipartisan, more than 100 Democrats voted for it in the House.
“There is no reason it shouldn’t be bipartisan here in the Senate as well. So I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in this effort.
“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is for us. It is not for our enemies. Joe Biden has promised to use our tax dollars—I mean, it is astonishing. He went to the United Nations and said he was going to give $11 billion a year to the United Nations for climate reparations—for energy we have used— giving away American dollars when Americans can’t afford to pay for energy costs here at home.
“Why is he doing it? If you listen to his speech, it is because he wants to say he is sorry. That is what we have, a President who wants to apologize once again for America.
“He wants us to feel guilty about the fact that we have built the strongest economy in the world by using oil, gas, coal—all of the energy resources that we have in this country.
“The American people have nothing to apologize for. Joe Biden is wrong. We shouldn’t apologize for being an energy superpower. We shouldn’t apologize for using our energy resources.
“If he wants to apologize, he ought to be apologizing to the people of the United States for the policies he has put in place that have driven up costs and caused pain for families all across America.
“He should apologize for raising taxes on American energy. He should apologize for wasting tax dollars. The Secretary of Energy—his Secretary of Energy—has given more than $200 million in loans to companies in China.
“The Secretary of the Treasury is going to China soon. She met with China’s Vice Premier recently in Switzerland. According to the Treasury Department, she agreed to ‘‘enhance cooperation [with China] on climate finance . . . as well as support for . . . developing countries in their clean energy transitions’’—in other words, more American taxpayer dollars for other people in other countries.
“Again, the excuse for all of this is climate. The Democrats in Washington are utterly obsessed with the green dreams of the coastal elites who run the Democratic Party, who call the tune.
“Again and again, the Democrats side with the climate elites over the common folks. I hear it in Wyoming. I hear it no matter where I travel in the country.
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”Last week, there was a large Democrat political rally held in Switzerland, at a place called Davos. The masters of the universe flew to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.
“From the television reports and the news reports, much of the conversation was about climate. The President’s energy/climate czar, John Kerry, was there. He gave a speech. You talk about somebody with smug superiority; he just thinks he knows better than anybody else.
“Here is what he said. This is from John Kerry: It’s extraordinary that we, a select group of human beings . . . are able to talk about saving the planet.
“Thank you, John Kerry. You are going to save us all. I can hardly wait. He added: If you say that to most people, they think you’re just a crazy, tree-hugging, lefty, liberal do-gooder . . . but that’s where we are.
“Well, John Kerry, you are right. Most people—certainly, anybody in Wyoming—who would listen to you would say you are just a crazy, tree-hugging, lefty, liberal do-gooder. That is who we have got from the President of the United States doing his climate bidding in Switzerland.
“This is exactly what people think about John Kerry and the climate crisis and the positions of this administration.
“As if one failed Presidential nominee and candidate weren’t embarrassing enough, then we had a real Vice President who came to speak, a former Vice President named Al Gore.
“Anyone watching Al Gore speak would say that, basically, he descended into an unhinged rant. About what? Well, climate of course. That is all he ever rants about.
“The former Democrat Senator and Vice President said we are ‘‘boiling the oceans.’’ That is what we are doing, apparently, he said, if we don’t obey his energy policies.
“Well, I am sure he and John Kerry have great times together. ‘‘Boiling the oceans.’’ He even said we are creating what he called ‘‘rain bombs.’’ He wants to save the planet as well, and I would say: What planet is he on?
“That is what we are seeing coming out of this administration as their voice on the world stage. When it comes to energy, what are the Democrats offering? A fairytale, a fantasy, and a fraud.
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“Wyoming is the energy breadbasket of the Nation. We have it. It is affordable. It is available. It is reliable. That is not good enough for Joe Biden. No.
“He wants to go to Iran, go to Venezuela, go to Saudi Arabia, with hat in hand, and beg them to produce more and send it here.
“It is interesting listening to the climate elites as they are fixated on renewable energy regardless of the costs and regardless of the consequences. The Democrats need to stop this science fiction.
“It is long past time for America to unleash our energy and stop this foolishness coming from the administration that has us buying energy from our enemies instead of selling it to our friends.
“We have an abundance of American energy, and the Democrats want to keep it buried in the ground.
“For every American family who is struggling to make ends meet and is falling further behind because of the inflation caused by the Democrats’ spending, it is time to unleash American energy right now.
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