On Tuesday, President Biden delivered his first official State of the Union address, during which he painted an unrealistic picture of the State of our Union. Our country is undeniably in trouble, and Republicans are ready to lead our Nation back toward prosperity. One of the issues we are fighting for is American energy independence. As gas prices continue to soar, my GOP colleagues and I continue to push for an all-of-the-above energy solution that ensures the United States is never reliant on our enemies abroad. Further, this week, I supported legislation that expands health care and benefits to Veterans who were exposed to toxins, like burn pits, during their deployments overseas. If the United States can afford to send our sons and daughters off to war, then we must be willing to pay for the care servicemembers need when they return home.
State of the Union:
In this week’s State of the Union address, I had hoped that President Biden would offer real solutions to the problems that are facing working families across this Nation. Unfortunately, what we heard was a laundry list of failed liberal proposals that are little more than an uninspiring effort to turn around his sagging poll numbers. Worse yet, President Biden refused to acknowledge that the problems of soaring inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, record illegal immigration, and exploding crime in our cities are largely due to his own liberal policies. Tragically, the President also failed to acknowledge his flawed withdrawal from Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of thirteen brave Americans, an egregious omission that ignored the sacrifices of these men and women in uniform. As our Nation continues to lurch from crisis to crisis, the state of our union certainly is not strong as the President claimed.
GOP Ready to Lead:
I am honored to represent the people of Virginia’s Sixth District, and as their representative, I will continue to fight for the values that make our part of Virginia such a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The entire Republican conference is eager to govern and advocate for the issues that matter most to the American people. We will continue to pursue an agenda that prioritizes issues like getting our economy back on track, securing the border, promoting energy independence, defending the Constitution, standing up for parents, lowering taxes, and supporting Veterans and law enforcement personnel. If given the chance, Republicans will get this country back on track.
Energy Independence:
The escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine has highlighted the need for the United States to once again prioritize energy independence, as the Trump Administration had done prior to the current Administration. Prior to the invasion, as a result of President Biden’s war on American energy, gas here at home was already 40 percent higher than it was twelve months ago – marking an eight-year high. Now as the world sanctions Russia and we call for a ban on Russian oil to be purchased by the United States, prices are climbing yet again, and experts predict Americans could soon be paying more than $5 for a gallon of gas. In response, the President announced that he is releasing 30 million barrels from the US strategic oil reserves. But, considering the United States uses more than 20 million barrels of oil a day, this is nothing more than a gimmick. A day and a half worth of oil is not going to reduce costs for American families and businesses. There must be a comprehensive plan that leads us back to energy independence and it starts with lifting President Biden’s moratorium on all new federal permits for domestic oil and gas drilling and finishing the Keystone XL pipeline.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
-Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA-6)