Newhouse-Backed Bill to Prohibit Export of Strategic Petroleum Reserves to China Passes House
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after legislation he cosponsored passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) from China Act introduced by Rep. McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) would prohibit direct or indirect SPR sales to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“Central Washington families are struggling due to record-high energy and gas prices while the Biden Administration is exporting oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China,” said Rep. Newhouse. “It should not have to be stated: we simply should not allow our oil to be exported to the Chinese Communist Party. A strong energy sector is a strong national defense, and we cannot let this administration drain our SPR to record lows by selling barrels to one of our nation’s adversaries.”
Read the full text of the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act here.
Background:
- The Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Actwould prohibit the Secretary of Energy from drawing down or selling petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to any entity that is under the ownership, control, or influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
- It would also require that the Department of Energy require as a condition of any sale of crude oil from the SPR, that such oil not be exported to China.
- According to the Department of Energy, in April 2022, the Biden Administration sold nearly one million barrels of SPR oil to Unipec America, a subsidiary of Sinopec, a company owned by the CCP, at $103.30 a barrel for a total of about $98 million dollars.