API President Advocates for Energy Reforms in Upcoming Election
At a policy event hosted by Breitbart News, Mike Somers, the president and CEO of the American Petroleum Research Institute (API), emphasized that bipartisan reforms could help enhance America’s energy position. Somers chatted with Matthew Boyle, the director of Breitbart News Washington, about a five-point agenda for the 2024 presidential election that aims to boost U.S. energy independence.
“I introduced this agenda back in June of last year, prior to the presidential election, and the goal was to highlight five critical areas that should be prioritized regardless of who wins the presidency. Thankfully, President Trump was elected,” Somers stated.
Here are the five key focus areas:
- Ensure Consumer Choice: Allow Americans to make personal decisions regarding gas appliances and vehicles.
- Strengthen Energy Security: Reinstate liquefied natural gas (LNG) policies that were negated during the Biden administration.
- Utilize Domestic Resources: Maximize the use of both land and offshore energy sources in the U.S.
- Reform the Permit Process: Simplify processes needed to build American energy infrastructure.
- Encourage Competitive Tax Policies: Create an investment-friendly environment in the U.S.
Somers remarked that the Trump administration, along with a Republican majority in Congress, swiftly began reversing Biden-era policies that hindered energy production. He recalled, “The first action was lifting the LNG suspension from the previous administration on day one. They also repealed the electric vehicle order, and we witnessed significant legislation passing through both the House and the Senate.”
“This administration has brought a real opportunity to restore American energy dominance,” he added. However, he noted the necessity for bipartisan cooperation, saying “we’ll need a consensus of 60 votes in the Senate to move forward.”
Somers pointed out that the Biden administration had not conducted any lease sales, which prompted intervention from Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). He explained, “During Biden’s term, only two lease sales occurred in the Gulf of Mexico… This was a result of negotiations with Senator Manchin, who indicated that if he were to support the Inflation Reduction Act, a lease sale would have to take place in the Gulf.”
