Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement regarding misleading statements made by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm at yesterday's White House briefing on H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act. 

“At a time when gas prices are on the rise, Secretary Granholm and the Biden administration need to be transparent with the American people about their efforts to cover up how they've abused the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as an election-year gimmick. Republicans want durable, long-lasting relief at the pump. The best way to do this is by unleashing American energy, which is what H.R. 21 accomplishes." 

NOTE: Secretary Granholm made several claims at the White House on Monday about H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Act, that are false and misleading: 

Secretary Granholm claims H.R. 21 would raise gas prices for Americans. 

Fact: Average gas prices are up more than 30 cents nationwide from a month ago. The truth is that prices are still higher today than when President Biden first took office, and they’re going up. Millions of Americans are paying more at the pump as a result of the Biden administration’s radical “rush-to-green" agenda that has shut down American energy. 

Secretary Granholm claims H.R. 21 would delay releasing oil in emergencies. Leaving prices at risk of rising in the wake of a market shock because of emergencies due to extreme weather events. 

Fact: H.R. 21 would have no effect on DOE’s emergency authorities. It would only apply to “non-emergency” sales. So if the President declares an emergency resulting from an energy supply disruption, the Secretary would have full authority to utilize the SPR—H.R. 21 would not change or hamper that. However, if the President chooses to use the SPR without declaring an emergency—a “non-emergency” sale—then the Secretary of Energy must prepare a plan to increase domestic energy production. It is simply untrue to say H.R. 21 will raise gas prices for people. Rather, it discourages politically-motivated, “non-emergency” SPR sales and if the bill passes, it will increase the lands available for oil and gas production, which will make gas more affordable and improve our overall energy security. 

Secretary Granholm claims H.R. 21 needlessly aims to weaken the strategic oil reserve‘s usefulness as a tool to ensure oil security in America. 

Fact: The SPR is one of America’s most important strategic and national security assets and the Biden administration has drained it more than 40 percent in two years. This bill would only prevent this strategic asset from being abused by the President as an election-year gimmick to temporarily and artificially manipulate prices. 

Secretary Granholm claims H.R. 21 would impose unnecessary, unhelpful restrictions on when the SPR can be used... require arbitrary reports regarding energy production... not offer tangible benefits to the American people... [and] interfere with the way they release oil. 

Fact: There are no restrictions on DOE’s emergency authorities included in H.R. 21. 

Secretary Granholm claims there is nothing standing in the way of domestic oil and gas production. 

Fact: There are plenty of barriers to unleashing domestic oil and gas production, including burdensome regulations and this administration's discouragement of financial investment in domestic oil and gas industries. The U.S. continues to produce well below its peak production of 13 million barrels of oil a day in 2019. We need to unleash American energy with increased production and more pipeline capacity.