House Democrats Block Bill to Approve Keystone XL Pipeline, Promote ‘American Energy Independence From Russia'

Legislation promoting U.S. energy independence from Russia has been blocked by House Democrats.

House Republicans introduced the "American Independence from Russian Energy Act" on Feb. 28, a measure meant to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline, boost domestic oil and gas production, and prevent President Joe Biden's executive branch agencies from halting energy leasing on federal land and water, among other provisions.

U.S. crude oil imports from Russia more than doubled in 2021, rising to an average of 209,000 barrels per day from a daily average of roughly 76,000 per day barrels in 2020, according to data from the Energy Information Administration.

By contrast, Rep. Jim McGovern said Republicans "Talk about energy independence, yet are the ones who have consistently voted against and opposed green and renewable energy here at home, which is the fastest way to achieve real energy independence."

Westerman, who said he supports an "All of the above" energy strategy that includes oil, gas, nuclear, solar, and wind, pointed out that greenhouse gas emissions fell during the Trump administration.

The Epoch Times has reached out to three key bureaus and agencies of the Interior Department involved in mining and drilling authorization-the Bureau of Land Management, the Ocean Energy Management Bureau, and the Office of Surface Reclamation and Enforcement-but didn't receive a response by press time.

"Democrats blocking the Act yesterday from even being considered demonstrates how unserious they are about truly addressing the crisis in Ukraine," Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance, a nonprofit energy industry association, told The Epoch Times in an email.

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