PRESS RELEASE –Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s release of 172 Million barrels of Oil from the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a cornerstone of our national security — a shield I have fought to protect for decades against those who would treat it like a political piggy bank or an obsolete relic.
“Now, after President Trump’s reckless and unplanned invasion of Iran sent energy prices soaring for American consumers, his Administration is turning to that shield to clean up the damage from its own choices.
“The SPR exists to protect the American people in genuine emergencies, not to paper over the consequences of a self-inflicted crisis. Every major release raises serious questions about whether this vital reserve will be there for the next emergency.
“That concern is even greater because President Trump and Secretary Wright have repeatedly claimed that prior drawdowns harmed the Reserve’s integrity. They cannot attack those decisions for years and then recklessly do the same themselves.
“American families deserve lower prices, real energy security in perpetuity, and leadership that thinks beyond the next headline.”