In 2019, the United States became energy independent for the first time in 62 years. However, on his first day in office, President Biden destroyed American energy production by killing the Keystone XL pipeline, banning energy development on federal lands, and outsourcing our energy needs to our enemies. His failed energy policies have not only raised gas prices for our families but have also threatened our national and economic security.

This Congress, I have supported legislation to promote American energy production – including homegrown Iowa biofuels – and reduce costs for our families when they fill up their gas tanks.

Last March, I voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Lower Energy Costs Act, which ends President Biden’s attacks on American energy production and cuts through bureaucratic red tape so that we can lower gas prices for our families, reduce diesel costs for our farmers, protect our energy security, and end our reliance on foreign oil. This legislation also included an amendment that I introduced to ban China from buying American farmland suitable for American energy production, particularly homegrown Iowa ethanol and biodiesel. I believe that American farmland belongs to American farmers, and my amendment ensures that our enemies – especially China – do not acquire our fertile and valuable farmland.

I also supported two pieces of legislation to ensure that our Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) – which is our nation’s emergency stockpile of oil and petroleum – remains full for times of crisis and emergency; not liberal policy blunders.

According to data published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, our SPR fell to 351 million barrels of oil last October – its lowest level since 1983. At the beginning of his administration, President Biden inherited a stockpile of roughly 640 million barrels of oil, which he quickly depleted to compensate for his attacks on American energy production that sent gas prices skyrocketing. That’s why I supported the Strategic Production Response Act, which would require the Biden Administration to organize and deploy a concrete plan to refill the SPR following a non-emergency drawdown of oil reserves. It’s just common sense.

Additionally, I voted for the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act, which permanently bans the sale of oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. China represents the greatest threat to our national, economic, energy, and food security. From buying up American farmland to stonewalling investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, China cannot be trusted. For the sake of our national and energy security, I certainly don’t believe we should be selling our oil to China or any of our foreign adversaries for that matter.

Finally, to combat rising gas prices and fight back against President Biden’s electric-vehicle mandates, I helped introduce the Consumer and Fuela Retailer Choice Act. This legislation would permanently make E-15 available at gas stations 365 days a year to help lower gas prices for Iowa families and support our farmers and ethanol producers. Representing the top biofuel-producing district in the U.S. House of Representatives, I know that homegrown American ethanol can make our country energy independent again and lower costs for hardworking families.

It’s obvious that President Biden’s energy policies hiked gas prices for our families and caused our country to become reliant on foreign countries – like China and Saudi Arabia – for our energy needs. Instead, we need to restore American energy dominance, support our energy producers, and keep American energy affordable, reliable, and abundant. I will continue my work in Congress to do just that.

We are government together, and your thoughts and opinions matter to me. Please contact my office at Feenstra.House.Gov or by phone at 202-225-4426 if I can ever be of assistance. I am proud to represent our families, farmers, main street businesses, and rural communities in Congress.

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Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa’s Fourth District in the U.S. House.