House GOP votes to rein in Biden's power over the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

After two days of floor action and consideration of over 100 amendments, the House of Representatives passed a bill Friday to limit the Biden administration’s powers when it comes to the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

The final vote was on a largely party line basis of 221-205 on the Strategic Production Response Act, which seeks to link releases from the crucial energy backstop to U.S. domestic oil production. One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), crossed party lines to vote in favor.

While the bill has little chance of being considered by the Senate and even less chance of reaching President Biden’s desk, the measure put the issue of SPR management at the top of Washington’s agenda for at least two days as the reserve sits at its lowest level since 1983.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) kicked off the debate Thursday, saying the bill was necessary to “ensure this vital American energy asset — and American security interests — will not be drained away for non-emergency, political purposes.”

Under the bill, other than during an emergency situation, a president wouldn’t be able to tap the reserve unless it simultaneously released a plan to increase oil production in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Democrats stood largely unified in opposition with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) releasing a statement immediately after the vote, saying it was called at the behest of oil companies and it would “raise gas prices and impede the President’s ability to continue lowering costs at the pump for working families.“

'An effort to attack the president'

Numerous amendments were considered from both sides of the aisle. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) offered an idea to ban offshore drilling in her home state, but dismissed the overall process in an interview.

“The whole conversation starts in this place that I think is rather cynical and just an effort to attack the president," she said. Still, she acknowledged there is some value in discussing the SPR overall, but suggested little would come of it.