Todd Staples: Biden 'Hamstringing our own Energy Sector'

This week, the Biden Administration called on OPEC and others “to increase oil production to alleviate rising gas prices felt across the nation.” In the statement, the Administration also discourages “oil and natural gas production in the United States.” The White House issued a warning that “higher gasoline costs, if left unchecked, risk harming the ongoing global recovery.” In response, Todd Staples, the President of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, slammed the Biden Administration, arguing that Biden is “hamstringing our own energy sector.”

The White House informed that “while OPEC+ recently agreed to production increases, these increases will not fully offset previous production cuts that OPEC+ imposed during the pandemic until well into 2022,” adding that “at a critical moment in the global recovery, this is simply not enough.”

As such, the White House asserted that “President Biden has made clear that he wants Americans to have access to affordable and reliable energy, including at the pump.”

In response, Todd Staples released a statement, explaining his disappointment with the Biden Administration.

Explaining that despite the United States being “the leading producer of oil and natural gas providing affordable and reliable energy” and that “our companies employ millions of Americans and are the primary funders in many states of roads, schools, universities and economic stabilization funds… the Biden Administration has cancelled energy infrastructure projects and suspended federal oil and natural gas leasing permits.” With the Biden Administration wanting “to count on OPEC+ to increase production to bring stability to energy markets,” Staples questions, “why promote jobs in other countries and not American jobs?” and “why rely on other countries while hamstringing our own energy sector?”

To solve the issue at hand, Staples suggests that “the best way to ensure Americans and our trade partners have access to clean, affordable and reliable energy is to encourage homegrown, domestic energy that supports jobs and economic growth while continuing our commitment to environmental progress.”