Biden’s Labor Secretary Marty Walsh confirmed on Friday that the Biden Administration is not considering increasing domestic oil & gas production in response to rising energy prices amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In an appearance on Fox Business’ “Varney & Co.” Walsh was pressed to answer if increasing domestic drilling was on the table for the White House when Walsh confirmed that “it hasn’t been to this point.”
Walsh’s comments come as the Biden Administration has thus far refused calls, including those of fellow Democrats, to increase domestic oil and gas production.
Below is the full exchange:
Varney: “There’s an energy shortfall which we cannot make up unless we drill for our own oil and natural gas. Will the President acknowledge that we’ve got a shortfall in domestic production so we should make it up. Will he drill?”
Walsh: “I can’t answer the question for the president, but I can tell you that we’re looking at all avenues on how do we deal with energy in the United States of America.”
Varney: “Is that on the table, more domestic drilling? Is that on the table in the White House?”
Walsh: “Well it hasn’t been to this point. Certainly we’re looking at what’s happening in the world right now that will have to be a conversation.”
Varney: “Do you think we should be drilling more of our own oil and gas?”
Walsh: “Again I’m not in a position to answer that question at this point, but certainly we have to watch and see what happens with Russia, we have to see what the world’s doing with Russia.”
While the Biden Administration is unwilling to put more U.S. energy production on the table, the White House is open to replacing Russian imports of crude oil with imports from Iran, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeg.
Refusing to increase domestic energy production during this crisis is a continuation of the anti-energy agenda Biden has pursued since his first day of office that have crippled American energy independence.
Biden’s policies have made the U.S. more reliant on Russian oil and gas prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while hurting American consumers’ wallets as average U.S. gas prices have now reached their highest levels since 2011.