On Monday, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., who sits on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, met with leaders of the Seminole Electric Cooperative and called for America to be energy independent.
Bilirakis took aim at the Biden’s administration’s energy policies.
“Extreme ideology and overly-burdensome government regulations are the prevailing winds within this Administration and consumers are the ones suffering. America needs to once again be in the driver seat when it comes to developing safe, reliable, and affordable energy sources,” Bilirakis said. “To provide relief to consumers and strengthen our national security, we must restore American energy independence. This starts by ramping up domestic production and removing the barriers the Biden implementation has erected in order to promote its radical green agenda.
Bilirakis also called out the Biden administration’s handling of gasoline, including tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
“As of today, the average price of gas in Florida is once again rising, with the national average hovering around $4.00. While prices are a little better than the nearly $5.00 per gallon we paid just a few weeks ago, Americans are still paying almost $2.00 more per gallon than they were on the day President Biden was sworn into office. However, that slight dip in fuel prices has come at a very high cost to our emergency preparedness and long-term national security,” Bilirakis said.
Bilirakis also criticized plans to sell more gasoline to China.
“It is unconscionable that House Democrats blocked an amendment on the floor which would have protected our stockpile and expressly prohibited the sale of America’s strategic crude oil reserves to China. U.S. reserves, which are at their lowest level since 1986, are designed to be used only in true emergencies, like hurricanes or other catastrophic events. They are not supposed to be used as a political gimmick to provide short-term relief in gas prices. The America-last policies pursued by the Biden administration and congressional Democrats are benefitting our leading adversaries while jeopardizing our long-term national security and economic stability,” the congressman said.
As he had earlier in August, Bilirakis threw his support behind efforts to expand domestic production, including turning to more environmentally friendly options, while also backing traditional energy.
“We all want clean air, clean water, and environmental protection; however, these goals things do not have to be achieved at the expense of jobs, prosperity, and national security. However, the best way to reduce emissions reductions is through innovation,” Bilirakis said. “We cannot continue to punish and handcuff American energy producers along the way. Fundamentally, I support an “all of the above” energy strategy that includes increasing domestic production, providing incentives for the development of renewable resources, and promoting conservation. New and emerging technologies will allow the United States to better harness the existing swath of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources that are available. The time to modernize our nation’s power generation is now!”
In the general election, Bilirakis faces IT professional Kim Walker, a veteran who served in the Army, Florida Air National Guard and as corrections officer, who is the Democratic Party’s candidate. Bilirakis is the favorite in this traditionally Republican part of Florida.
