Two high-profile Democrat senators are breaking with President Joe Biden and calling for a return to the domestic energy production policies of the Trump administration.
Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jon Tester (D-MT) have rejected the position of the Democratic Party and are calling for America to produce more oil domestically rather than import it from enemy states.
“We shouldn’t be advancing other countries who don’t share our values,” Tester said.
“So I think the opportunity here is to do it domestically, create jobs here, deal with it domestically, and also see if we can help Europe out too.”
“We should basically go back to the policies that we’ve had before,” Manchin said.
“And that’s– we have to do our leasing in the Gulf of Mexico, ok, Bureau of Land Management lands have been off-target, all this has to go back in, into production.
“That’s all we’re asking for.
“And if we’re asking the rest of the world to step up, let’s show that we’re going to step up.
“And any oil that’s needed to our allies around the world, we produce it cleaner than anybody.”
But Manchin is doing more than talking.
The Senate Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman is delaying the vote on Biden assistant Interior secretary nominee Laura Daniel-Davis over concerns the administration isn’t doing enough on energy.
Manchin spokesperson Sam Runyon said of Laura Daniel-Davis, President Biden’s pick to be assistant Interior secretary for land and minerals management:
“As we continue to watch energy being used as a weapon of war by Vladimir Putin, the need for increased American energy production is clear to ensure domestic supplies and help our allies.
“Ms. Daniel-Davis has been nominated to serve in a role that would oversee the federal leasing programs, and Senator Manchin would like to see more from the Department that it intends to get back to the business of leasing and production on federal lands and waters in a robust and responsible way.”
Democratic member Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) blasted Manchin over the move, however.
“Senator Wyden believes the first time Laura Daniel-Davis testified at length on her nomination before the Committee was sufficient,” a Wyden spokesperson said.
“This second hearing is nothing more than an opportunity for Republicans to badger, bully and harass a well-qualified nominee for a job that needs to be filled.”
Tester, Dem from Montana, on talk of importing Venezuelan and Iranian energy to offset Russian ban: “We shouldn’t be advancing other countries who don’t share our values.”
Manchin: “If we are asking the rest of the world to step up, let’s show that we’re going to step up.” pic.twitter.com/KHYeNYqoGF
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 8, 2022
Now it is time for government and industry to come together and lead the world through this geopolitical turmoil by ramping up our domestic production to meet our energy needs at home and the needs of our allies. My full statement: #BanRussianImports pic.twitter.com/J9mFNzk5JI
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) March 8, 2022
