Comer Releases Report on Democrats’ War on American Energy Production

WASHINGTON – Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a report outlining how the Biden Administration and Oversight Committee Democrats have demonized domestic oil and gas production, promoted anti-American energy policies, and failed to produce a comprehensive plan to address high energy prices and ongoing marketplace shortages impacting the American people.

“One-party Democrat rule in Washington has created an energy crisis for the American people. Democrats have weaponized their unchecked power to wage a war against American-made energy production and push radical, far-left Green New Deal policies that jeopardize Americans’ ability to power their homes,” said Ranking Member Comer. “In the last two years, Democrats diverted substantial resources into a partisan investigation of America’s oil and gas industry. At the same time, President Biden shut down the Keystone XL pipeline, implemented a moratorium on oil and gas production on federal lands, drained U.S. oil reserves, and enacted energy policies that increased costs for Americans. Instead of demonizing an industry that provides good-paying jobs and affordable energy for all Americans, Republicans are committed to promoting policy solutions that unleash domestic energy production and put the interests of the American people first.”

The report, entitled “Democrats’ War on Domestic Energy Production and Its Impact on the American People,” emphasizes the importance of reversing the geopolitical, economic, and inflationary damage caused by President Biden’s failed energy policies. In addition, the report reiterates Committee Republicans’ commitment to conducting meaningful oversight over Biden Administration officials responsible for energy policies wreaking havoc on Americans’ livelihoods.       

Below are key findings from the report:

• The oil and gas companies subject to the Committee Democrats’ partisan investigation provided over one million pages of documents revealing no smoking gun.  Instead of conducting real oversight of the Biden Administration, Democrats used the Committee’s oversight authority to issue unnecessary subpoenas, demand information protected by the First Amendment, request board members’ personal information, and claim the companies were not cooperating despite providing over a million pages of documents and appearing at a six-hour hearing.

• While Committee Democrats attack oil and gas companies for making profits, the disastrous energy policies of the Biden Administration have led to record high gas prices and skyrocketing inflation.  Gas prices hit record highs during the summer of 2022.  Sky-high inflation—coupled with spending sprees by the Biden Administration enabled by congressional Democrats—strains the pocketbooks of the American people as prices continue to outpace wages.   

• The Biden Administration has no coherent energy policy.  President Biden’s failed energy policy sends mixed messages to a domestic energy sector facing uncertainties.  One day, President Biden commits to cutting emissions in half by 2030, which would necessitate cuts to production, and the next, he attacks companies for not producing enough energy.

• The Biden Administration’s energy policies have created national security concerns.  Even prior to Russia’s large-scale military invasion of Ukraine—which exposed Europe’s reliance on Russian energy—the U.S. was experiencing rising gas prices.  Reliance on foreign energy sources enriches adversaries and undermines national security.

• The Biden Administration and Committee Democrats continue to demonize the oil and gas industry, but emerging green technology is currently not capable of powering the United States.  A premature move away from fossil fuels would be a disaster for the economy, leaving Americans unable to power their homes or travel to work and school.  If America moves away from oil and gas at this point, as JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said, it would be: “the road to hell for America.”

Ranking Member Comer details ten measures Biden Administration officials could consider that would unleash U.S. domestic energy potential and protect American energy independence.

Click here to read the report.