Kelly says release of petroleum reserve shortsighted
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, criticized President Joe Biden’s decision Thursday to release up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation's strategic petroleum reserve, up to 180 million barrels over the next six months.
A news release from Kelly’s office stated Biden has released a combined 80 million barrels since November to lower record-high gas prices. Kelly said the move is short-sighted.
"The purpose of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is to counter severe supply-chain disruptions and enhance national security, not to score quick political points," Kelly said. "This strategy is shortsighted, politically motivated and dangerous because we've seen that releasing oil from the reserve has a very minimal impact on lowering gas prices.“
Kelly said the release of the oil is weakening national security and called for governmental prioritization of domestic energy production.
"The best way to lower gas prices is unleash American energy, open our pipelines and consider purchasing more oil from our allies, like Canada, rather than from the world's bad actors like Russia, Iran and Venezuela," Kelly said.
