Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, countries including the United States and western Europe made efforts – and paid the price – enacting sanctions on the Russian government and their oil industry, which, in turn, hiked up gas and oil prices for Americans to unfathomable levels. At one point, gas prices were over five dollars a gallon, nationally.
Russia has since found a new partner to do business with, and they found that partner in Saudi Arabia. Representative Cory Mills (R-FL), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Armed Forces Committee, shared his thoughts on the unsettling alliance for Americans.
He started by calling out President Joe Biden’s (D) leadership skills on the world stage.
“The Saudi Arabia-Russia oil alliance is President Vladimir Putin’s latest move to further his anti-America agenda and undermine the U.S. dollar,” stated Rep. Mills. “While President Putin is lining his pockets, American consumers are hurting with rising oil prices. As the world grapples with our adversaries’ geopolitical alignment, America’s position on the world stage continues to diminish because of entrenched, weak leadership.”
Rep. Mills also mentioned how America can revive its oil industry and free itself from “the chains holding back our economy,” by cutting red tape, but did not offer a specific solution such as increased investment in fracking, or promote the dissolution of a specific regulatory measure to combat the high oil prices.
“Russia and China continue to court the energy-rich and economically strategic countries on which – for better and for worse – America continues to rely. Instead of playing geopolitical whack-a-mole to mitigate the impacts of these countries’ partnerships with our adversaries, the United States must proactively navigate these relationships, which requires us to release the chains holding back our economy and strengthen our energy industries.”
Mills concluded by stating that America is in need of not only energy independence, but “energy dominance.”
“There has never been a time more pertinent than now for this administration to bolster our geopolitical influence. America needs to reinstate its dominant position on the world stage to offset these skyrocketing oil prices for the American people and counter Russia’s dangerous agenda. America needs energy dominance, now!”
Currently, gas prices sit at $3.67 nationally, almost a dollar and a half down from its highest point last summer, but still an increase of approximately $1.30 since President Biden took office.
