Vowing to introduce Senate legislation to ''open up American energy production 100 percent'' when the chamber returns Monday, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., denounced President Joe Biden's energy policies, which he says make the U.S. ''subservient'' to its enemies.
''I've got a suggestion for Joe Biden tonight; I'd just say this: 'Mr. President, have some confidence in the American people, show some strength to the world, open up American energy production full throttle,''' Hawley, a headline speaker, told the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday night.
''Open it up, right now.''
Unwinding former President Donald Trump's energy independence has emboldened Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Hawley asserted.
''Now you look at what's happening in Ukraine — you talk about weakness on the part of Joe Biden, he comes to office, and what does he do? He shuts down American energy production and greenlights Russian energy production,'' Hawley said.
''He greenlights Putin's pipeline and he shuts down American pipelines. Is it any wonder that Vladimir Putin feels emboldened to do whatever it is that he wants to do — is it any wonder that China feels emboldened to do whatever the heck it is that they want to do?''
Biden has weakened the U.S. on energy and made us ''subservient'' to our primary enemies, according to Hawley.
''Why is it that we should be dependent for our energy, our critical goods, on other nations — and not just any other nations, but our enemies?'' Hawley asked. ''Why is it that Joe Biden has tried to make us more dependent, has tried to make us subservient to China, and Russia, and Iran, and OPEC.
''Why is that Joe Biden has to go to the OPEC countries and beg them, beg them to increase oil production? I say enough of that.
''America is the strongest nation in the history of the world, and it's time we started acting like it. This is the time.''
Hawley concluded that the Biden administration is effectively ''trying to divide us'' at home.
''By the way, that's all they have left, have you noticed that? All they have left is division and accusation — all they have left is the attempt to make us live in fear.''
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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