Randy Weber: “This amendment fails to see that depleting our strategic reserve for nonemergent reasons hurts our ability to help…”

“This amendment fails to see that depleting our strategic reserve for nonemergent reasons hurts our ability to help hurricane victims. The Gulf Coast of Texas, District 14, where I am a Member of Congress, suffers all the consequences of hurricanes. We need to have the stability of a strong SPR. America needs that ability. Downplaying the role of domestic supply--as it seems the other side is intent on--guts the legislation in several ways. First, it treats swaps of oil out of the strategic reserve that were not done--were not done--Mr. Chairman, for emergency reasons--as an emergency. For instance, we could lend oil to China for any reason for an indefinite period without a need to explain how we are going to make ourselves whole in the interim, a/k/a, keep our country safe and keep District 14 safe in Texas. This is extremely personal to me. Second, it takes the lawmaking role from Congress and gives it to the executive branch. Mr. Chairman, I have read the Constitution. I don't think the President is supposed to make laws. I think it is supposed to be up to us in Congress. It gives the DOE, the Department of Energy, power to decide whether or not the law takes effect. That is not their role. Finally, even though it conditions the effective date on a finding by the Department of Energy, in no way does it require the Energy Department to make a finding of one way or the other. So this amendment would make this bill worse--absolutely worse.…”