[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1445 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1445

  Recognizing that the irresponsible withdrawal of petroleum products 
from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a threat to the security of the 
                             United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 21, 2022

 Mr. Weber of Texas (for himself, Mr. Cawthorn, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Biggs, 
  Mr. Babin, Mr. Posey, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Crenshaw, Ms. Van Duyne, Mr. 
   Ellzey, Mr. Fallon, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mrs. Flores, Mr. 
 Jackson, Ms. Herrell, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. Chabot, Mrs. Miller 
 of Illinois, Mr. Burchett, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Ferguson, 
     Mr. Davidson, Ms. Letlow, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Roy, Ms. 
 Malliotakis, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Pfluger, and Mr. 
 Nehls) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing that the irresponsible withdrawal of petroleum products 
from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a threat to the security of the 
                             United States.

Whereas the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 was enacted on December 
        22, 1975, creating the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to respond to the 
        global oil crisis;
Whereas the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is divided into four sites, Bryan Mound, 
        Big Hill, West Hackberry, and Bayou Choctaw, near the Gulf of Mexico, 
        with an authorized total storage capacity of 714 million barrels of oil;
Whereas the President has the sole control over the drawdown and sale of 
        petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve;
Whereas there have only been three emergency drawdowns from the Strategic 
        Petroleum Reserve in its history--during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, 
        during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and, in coordination 
        with the International Energy Agency, responding to instability in the 
        Middle East and North Africa in 2011;
Whereas President Biden's administration, since day one, has irresponsibly 
        attacked the energy sector of the United States, halting the 
        construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, creating bureaucratic 
        challenges to the permitting process, and promoting the exclusive use of 
        wind and solar energy (sources that are not entirely reliable), making 
        the United States dependent on foreign powers;
Whereas, on March 31, 2022, President Biden announced the release from the 
        Strategic Petroleum Reserve of one million barrels of crude oil per day 
        for six months to stabilize volatile energy costs;
Whereas, on July 26, 2022, President Biden authorized the sale of an additional 
        20 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to other 
        countries, including China;
Whereas, on September 30, 2022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve held only 416.4 
        million barrels of oil, the lowest level since December 1985, 
        significantly affecting the ability of the United States to respond to 
        natural disasters or an attack on the United States; and
Whereas President Biden's release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to 
        artificially lower gas prices at the expense of the national security of 
        the United States is motivated by political, rather than economic or 
        security, reasons: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes energy security is national security;
            (2) recognizes that President Biden's attack on domestic 
        production of oil and gas has resulted in the United States 
        being energy dependent;
            (3) encourages higher levels of domestic oil and gas 
        production as Americans produce energy more cleanly and more 
        efficiently than any other country; and
            (4) calls upon President Biden to halt the sale of 
        petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and to 
        begin replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
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