Energy Security is National Security
Friends,
"Freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction."
Ronald Reagan gave us this warning as then-California Governor in 1967. At that time, the Cold War was at its peak and the United States was in the midst of an incredibly tense global standoff. Unfortunately, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and our current foreign policy threatens to plunge the world into this level of uncertainty once again.
Last week, the world watched as Vladimir Putin started a war in Ukraine. This is something many thought we would never see in the 21st century and reminds us of President Reagan’s warning.
Russia’s actions this past week mark the country’s second invasion of Ukraine in less than a decade and a clear violation of international law. The images we see of the suffering and destruction are heartbreaking. Renee and I join our nation in praying for all the people of Ukraine.
To be clear, I do not support sending US troops into Ukraine. Yet, as I have called for throughout this impending crisis, it is now past time to take decisive action to hold Russia accountable.
This week, I will urge my colleagues in Congress to pass even harsher sanctions on Russia than those proposed by President Biden. Potential options include sanctioning the Russian Central Bank, removing Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system, and crippling Russia’s key industries. The eyes of the world are watching what we do next, including adversaries like China and Iran.
One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine shows American energy independence and border security have never been more important.
Europe’s reliance on Russian fuel has been a security threat for years. That’s why I introduced legislation opposing Russia’s Nord Stream II gas pipeline in May and lead European leaders in condemning the project as far back as 2018. Unfortunately, President Biden waived sanctions passed by congress on Nord Stream II earlier this year— emboldening Russia and giving them more leverage over Europe.
In 2019 under President Trump, America became a net exporter of energy for the first time in 70 years. President Biden’s policies of cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline, limiting permits, and increasing regulations stifled American energy production and drove gas prices to a 7-year high. Like Europe, these policies have also made the US more reliant on foreign countries for energy, including Russia. Because of this, President Biden warned last week that the situation in Ukraine will lead to even higher gas prices affecting you and your family.
We must reverse this energy and job-killing agenda. That’s why last week, I introduced a resolution urging President Biden to take immediate action to restore American energy independence, create American jobs, and sell more natural gas to our allies in Europe.
Energy security is national security. I will continue to closely monitor the events in Europe and the impact they have on our economy and our Fort Bragg community. And I will also continue pushing for American energy independence so our nation and allies never need to be hostage to countries like Russia ever again.
Until Next Week,
Richard Hudson
Member of Congress