This week’s “common sense” goes to House GOP Whip Steve Scalise and Congressman Bill Johnson for partnering with the Empowerment Alliance (TEA) to kick off our “Summer Drive for Energy Independence” campaign. They join us in pushing for a pro-American, pro-energy message in the face of higher prices on everything that makes an American summer.

Scalise and Johnson, along with over 1,000 other public leaders, have signed on to TEA’s Declaration of Energy Independence since last year advocating for our four pillars of American Energy: Abundant, Affordable, Domestic, and Clean. They promote policies to increase the use of American natural gas to meet our vital energy needs and fight back against unrealistic, untested, unreliable alternatives.

In Johnson’s video message, he focuses on the skyrocketing gasoline prices in Ohio under the Biden Administration. In Scalise’s video message, he points out that while we are all paying more to grill, drive and cool our homes this summer, we are also facing failed policies that turn away from our precious gas resources. They both call on energy voters to stand up against the Biden Agenda.

If you have interest in recording a video to be featured by TEA, please e-mail us HERE.

Back in January, the Washington Post gleefully proclaimed that “in barely a week in office, Biden has moved to rejoin the Paris climate accord, halt the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, impose new limits on oil and gas production, and mandate climate change as a priority across every federal agency.” Fast forward six months, and even NPR is being forced to admit that “oil prices are in turmoil.” But instead of encouraging domestic production of crude oil, Biden is asking OPEC to give the United States cheaper oil.

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board took Biden to task for his hypocrisy:

But note the irony that Mr. Biden is now urging OPEC to open its taps even while his Administration is pursuing policies with the goal of shutting down U.S. oil and natural gas production. His Administration has sought to halt new leases on federal land, suspended leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and is expanding endangered-species protections to limit oil production on private land, among other policies designed to punish fossil fuels. 

But reducing U.S. production means reduced global supply even as demand surges. This means more pricing leverage for OPEC and Russia—and for Iran if Mr. Biden lets Tehran escape sanctions on its oil exports as part of a renewed nuclear deal. So Russia and Iran will benefit from Mr. Biden’s fossil-fuel disarmament while Americans pay more for energy. 

Read the full editorial HERE.

According to AAA, crude oil prices will hit a seven year high this week: 

The national gas price average has increased 40% since the start of the year, from $2.25 on January 1to $3.13 today. Moreover, it is not stopping there. Motorists can expect gas prices to increase another 10–20 cents through the end of August, bringing the national average well over $3.25 this summer. 

Americans are paying 44% more for gasoline now than they were a year ago. The current national average is $3.14/gallon. It was $2.18/gallon one year ago.

House Energy and Water Development FY22 Markup: On Monday, July 12, the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies will have a committee markup of the FY 2022 appropriations bill.

House Hearing on REPLANT Act: On Tuesday, July 13, the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will hold a hearing on a series of bills, including the REPLANT Act which promotes reforestation on federal lands.

FERC Open Meeting: On Thursday, July 15, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a Virtual Open Meeting of the Commission.