(January 27, 2023) Washington, D.C. — The House passed H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, which would help ensure the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is available during a true energy emergency and not abused for non-emergency, political purposes. The legislation would require the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan to increase oil and gas leasing on federal lands before pulling oil from the SPR. The SPR is the world’s largest supply of emergency crude oil. Since taking office, President Biden has released hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from the SPR.

Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07), a co-sponsor of the bill, offered the following statement:

“Promoting American energy production means unleashing the vast potential of our domestic resources in a safe and efficient manner. Draining America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve for political purposes is not part of that strategy. This bill provides a vital plan to making energy more affordable and reliable for Americans by preserving the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during non-emergency situations. This legislation also included important language to protect the New Jersey coast from offshore drilling. This is a big step forward towards America’s energy independence.”