Chair Rodgers Statement on Sec. Granholm's Secret Conversations with Top CCP Energy Official

Jul 05, 2023

"It would appear Secretary Granholm meant it when she said America should 'learn' from what China is doing."

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement after reports that Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm had multiple conversations with the Chinese Communist Party's top energy official days before the Biden administration announced it would tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in 2021.

“Before telling the American people of their plans to undermine our energy security by draining the SPR at record rates for political purposes before the midterm elections, Secretary Granholm reportedly first secretly consulted with the Chinese Communist Party. Since then, DOE—under her leadership—has sold millions of barrels of oil from our SPR to China—the world’s biggest polluter. It would appear Secretary Granholm meant it when she said America should 'learn' from what China is doing.

“The Energy and Commerce Committee will be demanding answers and full transparency from the Secretary. In addition, this raises the urgency for the Senate to pass H.R. 22, the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act, as soon as possible. We cannot allow the Biden administration to further jeopardize our energy and national security, especially now that we know more about the lengths it will go to achieve its pro-China climate agenda.”

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