We desperately need energy production right here in America, and not reliance on Russian autocrats. On his first day in office, President Biden kneecapped American energy production with the stroke of a pen. The Keystone XL pipeline, which had created thousands of good-paying American jobs, had its long-awaited permit revoked. Soon after, President Biden made the imprudent decision to waive sanctions on a Putin crony who leads the firm responsible for the development of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Europe. It’s as if he wanted America to be dependent on Russia indefinitely.

Think about this: according to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, the United States imported an average of 209,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 500,000 barrels per day of other petroleum products from Russia. Compare those numbers to the capacity of the Keystone XL pipeline. It was projected that the Keystone XL pipeline would transport 830,000 barrels of crude oil per day – far exceeding what we buy from Russia. Do you see the difference?

Imagine if America’s energy freedom was no longer a distant prospect on the horizon, but rather a reality that all of us would greatly benefit from. Unfortunately, this administration refuses to reverse course and put American energy production first. This past Sunday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki doubled down on the administration’s policy agenda of promoting green energy (all while refusing to levy new sanctions on Russia’s energy sector).  She said that America must reduce its reliance on oil entirely – a solution that’s completely removed from the catastrophes that this great country is facing.

With inflation continuing to hit the wallets of every American, and our reliance on oil from Russia that costs us obscene amounts of money, we must turn to energy production right here at home. It’s the solution that will not only empower the workforce, but also the economy. I’ll continue to serve as a strong voice for energy freedom in America because it is an issue that affects everyone in North Carolina’s Fifth District.

State of the Union Address

On Tuesday, President Biden delivered his State of the Union address to Congress while America is being ravaged by catastrophes that his failed policies have created. From a collapsing southern border to record inflation that has now reached a 40-year high, rising crime rates to collapsing credibility within the international community, no matter where you turn, the failures are more visible than ever. Scores of Americans are wondering what has happened to our great country.

To read my full statement on the State of the Union address, click here.

My Latest Op-Ed

Chapter 95, Article 10, of the North Carolina General Statues harbors one of the most powerful sentiments that has maintained its prominence in the Tar Heel State for almost 75 years: “The right to live includes the right to work.” On March 18, 1947, North Carolina’s right-to-work law was ratified, and since then, the freedom of workers to decide whether to join, pay dues to, and be represented by a labor union has been protected. It should be kept that way. In my latest op-ed to the Carolina Journal, I explain why union coercion is threatening hardworking North Carolinians, and why it must be rejected.  

To read my op-ed, click here.

Quote of The Week

“We should be bolstering American energy independence and American jobs - not making ourselves vulnerable by lining the pockets of foreign energy suppliers.”

- Andrew Wheeler

Have a blessed weekend,