'Not Just Stupid, Anti-American,' Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw Criticizes Biden Administration's Push For OPEC To Increase Production

TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas is calling out the Biden administration on Twitter for asking OPEC to increase crude oil production.

"Reaching a whole new level of stupid, the Biden administration asks OPEC (foreign oil) to increase production, while making every possible attempt to destroy CLEANER American oil and gas. Not just stupid, but anti-American," he tweeted.

In a statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the administration said high gasoline costs, if left unchecked, risk harming the ongoing global recovery. It also said while OPEC recently agreed to production increases, those increases won't fully offset previous production cuts that OPEC imposed during the pandemic well into 2022. And that, "is simply not enough," according to Sullivan, especially during the global recovery.

The statement alludes to current gas prices in the country.

"President Biden has made it clear that he wants Americans to have access to affordable and reliable energy, including at the pump." And although the U.S. isn't "a party to OPEC," the country will "always speak to international partners regarding issues of significance" that impact both national economic and security affairs.

Sullivan said the administration is engaging with OPEC on the importance of competitive markets in setting prices, stressing again, that the intergovernmental organization "must do more" to support the recovery.

According to CBS News, in January President Biden revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline that would have moved 830,000 barrels of crude from Alberta Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast.

A coalition of attorneys general from 21 states sued him and members of his administration for rescinding the permit for the 1,200 mile-long pipeline, seeking to undo the president's attempt to effectively nix it.

In:
• Economy
• OPEC