Manchin Calls On Biden to Ramp Up Domestic Production, Cut Ties With Russian Oil

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) called on President Joe Biden to relax rules against U.S. oil production which have left the nation heavily dependent on Middle Eastern and Russian oil. Even after the invasion of Ukraine, which the president has condemned, the United States has continued to buy around 500,000 barrels of Russian oil per day.

“The entire world is watching as [Russian President] Vladimir Putin uses energy as a weapon in an attempt to extort and coerce our European allies,” Manchin said in a statement.  “While Americans decry what is happening in Ukraine, the United States continues to allow the import of more than half a million barrels per day of crude oil and other petroleum products from Russia during this time of war. This makes no sense at all and represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s energy security.”

Manchin continued, “The United States can and must ramp up domestic energy production and increase access to our abundant resources and technologies to both protect our energy independence and support our allies around the globe.”

“If there was ever a time to be energy independent, it is now,” Manchin added, accusing Biden of being “hypocritical” for continuing to allow the importation of Russian oil. “To continue to rely on Russian energy as they attack Ukraine is senseless.”… (Excerpt from the Epoch Times)