U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the American Energy Independence Act of 2022, which reverses President Biden’s shutdown of the American energy sector and returns American energy to full production. Original cosponsors include: U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Immediately following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the price of oil rose to over $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014. Gas and energy prices for working Americans are quickly rising to new highs. The Biden Administration has been reluctant to sanction the Russian energy sector, due no doubt to the United States’ dangerous dependence on foreign energy. At the same time, European countries, particularly Germany, are heavily dependent on Russian natural gas.
“To be strong and free as a nation, we must be energy independent. My bill will reverse Joe Biden’s disastrous energy surrender that has allowed Russian energy dominance and instead open up American production full-throttle,” said Senator Hawley. “To stand up to aggressors like Vladimir Putin, we can and we must work to power our nation and the world.”
“Energy security is national security, and we see that clearly with what is going on in Ukraine. Since his first day in office, Joe Biden has worked overtime to crush American energy interests. Consequently, we went from being energy independent to relying on Russian oil. We are now helping Putin, a ruthless dictator, finance his invasion of Ukraine. Our response has been hindered because of our and our NATO allies’ dependence on Russian oil. Had Biden maintained the American energy independence President Trump achieved, we would’ve been set to crush Russian oil and end their ability to make war against Ukraine,” Representative Jackson said. “Americans are also feeling the pinch of Biden’s War on Energy at the gas pump and when they pay their utility bills. It’s past time we put America First and end this nonsense. Senator Hawley and I are proud to introduce this bill, which will return the United States to the forefront of global energy production. We must protect American interests and give our allies the option to purchase American oil instead of Russia’s.”
“Energy costs were already skyrocketing due to Pres. Biden’s disastrous policies that have made us more reliant on energy from places like Russia. Putin’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine will make matters worse for energy costs at home. Now more than ever, we need to reclaim our energy independence so Iowa families don’t continue paying the price for this administration’s failures. That’s why I’m proud to support the American Energy Independence Act, which will take critical steps to lower gas prices and unleash energy production right here in the United States,” Senator Grassley said.
Senator Hagerty said, ”The Biden Administration’s war on American energy has placed severe burdens on the shoulders of American citizens and led to disastrous national security ramifications across the globe. For the sake of our national and economic security, we must immediately reverse course and re-establish the energy independence created by the previous Administration’s policies, which is exactly what this legislation would do.”
Shortly after coming into office, President Biden cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline, blocked new oil and gas leases, issued regulations designed to stymie domestic energy investment, and advocated for measures that focus more on Green New Deal priorities than on American security.
Text for the American Energy Independence Act of 2022 can be found here.
Background
The American Energy Independence Act of 2022 will:
- Assert that it is the official policy of the United States to achieve full energy independence and low energy costs for its citizens in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Instruct federal agencies to identify and rescind existing regulations that have the effect of reducing American energy independence, bar new climate rules that reduce energy security or raise energy prices, and direct agencies to work to achieve energy independence by 2024.
- Ease the regulatory burden on energy companies engaged in fracking.
- Restore the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline after its cancellation by the Biden Administration and ease the process for constructing new pipelines.
- Defund the United States’ contributions to any provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement.
- Promote oil and natural gas leases on federal land following the Biden Administration’s moratorium.
- Codify the Trump Administration’s interpretation of “Waters of the United States” and nullify President Biden’s proposed replacement rule.
- Lower the “social cost of carbon” to $0 per ton to focus government standards on boosting domestic energy production, rather than climate change.