“The [Biden] administration strongly opposes HR 21, the Strategic Production Response Act. The bill would significantly weaken a critical energy security tool, resulting in more oil supply shortages and higher gas prices for working families. If Congress were to pass this bill, the President would veto it,” the White House said on Monday.
The Strategic Production Response Act would require the US Energy Department to stop their “abuse” of the SPR and develop a plan to increase oil and gas production on federal lands to offset any additional drawdowns, US House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a statement on the bill.
Biden must not rely on adversaries for the United States’ energy needs, Scalise said. The majority leader has the legislation listed for consideration pursuant to a rule this week.
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a resolution banning the sale of oil from the SPR to China. The Energy Department has drawn more than 200 million barrels from the SPR since November 2021 on Biden's orders in an effort to stabilize energy market supplies and prices.
The Biden administration’s use of the SPR has been essential to protecting US energy security and lowering gas prices, the White House said in the statement.