GOP lawmakers call for US to ramp up energy production amid Russia-Ukraine crisis

Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate are calling for the U.S. to ramp up energy production at home as part of the response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis — which has raised fears of increasing oil prices and led to more pain at the pump.

Lawmakers have urged Biden to reverse measures he took last year, including limits on oil and gas leasing on public lands and the cancelation of the Keystone XL pipeline — moves that supporters say were crucial in the fight against climate change, but critics say has curbed U.S. energy independence.

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Now, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there are concerns that the reliance on foreign energy is a weakness for the U.S., and that it could translate into higher oil prices. Experts have already warned that prices across the nation are projected to rise between 20 and 30 cents for motorists, or more, driven by surging crude oil prices — which topped $100 a barrel on Wednesday.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said in a statement that Biden should "immediately reverse his war on American energy so that the United States and our allies can have access to affordable and secure energy, while taking away a critical source of leverage and funding Putin is using to carry out his unprovoked attack on Ukraine."

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., called on Biden to reopen the Keystone XL pipeline and to take measures for the U.S. to "regain our energy independence."

"How many times will Democrats fail to recognize that the instability of the world’s affairs and economic shocks come at the hands of dictators who fuel their terror on the world stage with dollars we and our allies are forced to spend on their oil and gas exports?" she said in a video.

"It’s time to be smarter than the dictators."

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., urged Biden to "flip the switch, say yes to American energy, and aggressively promote America’s energy jobs, production and exports."

In the Senate, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., called on Congress to pass his bill, the SMART Energy Act, which would restart oil and gas leasing on federal lands.

"We must support America's energy independence, American energy jobs & American energy production. Especially during these times," Daines said in a statement.

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Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., announced he would be introducing legislation on Monday to "lift Joe Biden’s shut down of the American energy sector and return American energy to full production."

"No more weakness," he said.

Biden announced this week a number of rounds of sanctions on Russia in response for its incursions into Ukrainian territory, which morphed into a fully-fledged invasion Thursday morning. On Wednesday he reimposed sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Europe, reversing a May decision to waive sanctions on the project.

He also said on Tuesday that he was taking "robust action" to make sure the sanctions did not backfire on the U.S. economy.

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"We are closely monitoring energy supplies for any disruption. We’re executing a plan in coordination with major oil-producing consumers and producers toward a collective investment to secure stability and global energy supplies," he said. 

"This will blunt gas prices," he said. "I want to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump."