U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl hammers Biden admin decision to scrap Gulf oil and gas leases

As Americans are experiencing a sharp inflation spike and paying record-high fuel costs, the Biden administration on Wednesday canceled two oil lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico.

The administration also canceled a lease pending before the U.S. Department of Interior to potentially drill for Alaskan oil in over 1 million acres.

A department spokeswoman told Fox Business that the decision was “a result of delays due to factors including conflicting court rulings that impacted work on these proposed lease sales.”

However, the administration’s critics point to then-presidential candidate Joe Biden’s vow in 2020 to “transition” away from the oil industry in favor of the national left’s energy policies.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile), who represents Alabama’s energy-producing Gulf region, on Thursday lambasted the administration’s decision to cancel the lease sales.

According to Carl, the move proves that the administration is “hell-bent on keeping inflation and gas prices” at record levels.

“President Biden’s decision to further cripple American energy production at a time when folks are already paying record amounts for fuel, groceries, and basic goods shows his complete disregard for the struggles of hardworking Americans,” lamented Carl. “By cancelling new offshore leases for the rest of the year, the Biden administration is proving once again that they are hell-bent on keeping inflation and gas prices through the roof, while compromising our national security by forcing the United States to rely on dictators and terrorists to supply our energy needs.”

The South Alabama congressman advised that he would “not back down” in taking the Biden administration to task over its “war on American energy.”

“Just a few weeks ago, I introduced the Unleashing American Energy Act to require a minimum of two oil and gas lease sales a year in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, while prohibiting oil and gas lease sales from being blocked or slowed down ago,” he added. “I will not back down from the fight against the Biden administration’s war on American energy because Americans need relief NOW.”

The Biden administration’s move comes as Alabamians on average are paying $4.13 for a gallon of regular gasoline.

Joining Carl in taking issue with the administration’s decision to ax the two Gulf of Mexico leases was U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), who took to social media Thursday to proclaim that Biden’s policies had created “an uncertain environment for American oil and gas producers.”

TROUBLING TREND: Despite record-high gas prices, @POTUS' policies are creating an uncertain environment for American oil and gas producers.

This is the exact opposite of what the administration should be doing. Now is the time to DRILL, DRILL, DRILL.https://t.co/9gxa4vCT8i

— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) May 12, 2022