This is not good news.
Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines has accused President Joe Biden of using the ban on Russian oil to cover up policy proposals from the Green New Deal.
In an interview with FOX Business, Daines claimed the ban on Russian oil wasn’t just about punishing Russia for the atrocities in Ukraine but rather about banning all oil.
In the interview, Daines said, “I think the Democrats are using this ban as a fig leaf to cover up their radical Green New Deal priorities because it’s not just about banning Russian oil. They want to ban all oil.”
While Daines agreed with the decision to ban Russian oil, he shared his belief that Democrats were unwilling to support American oil production.
Calling the ban on Russian oil “great,” Daines said it wasn’t “enough.” He said that “Instead of turning to dictators and adversaries,” they should be focused on ramping up local production.
“We have an abundance of energy, and we should use that as a tool, not only for our own energy security but also to support our overseas allies and partners,” he said.
His comments come after Biden announced a ban on Russian energy, gas, and oil imports, following a bipartisan call for the President to take action.
While Biden’s decision to ban Russian oil imports has been welcomed as a measure to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, the warning that gas prices would rise has not been welcomed.
Biden blames Russia for the problem of soaring gas prices, as he remarked on Tuesday, “Putin’s war is already hurting American families at the gas pump since Putin began his military buildup on Ukrainian borders.” He added that with the ban, prices would “go up further,” but that he would “do everything to minimize Putin’s price hike” on Americans.
But Republican lawmakers disagree with his sentiments, saying that had the President prioritized U.S. production of oil, the country wouldn’t be facing skyrocketing gas prices, and the nation would be far more secure.
Sentiments Daine shared in his interview, “President Biden and the Democrats need to abandon their radical, woke Green New Deal priorities and support Made in America energy, for the sake of American families and our national security.”
