West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the American worker is getting “squeezed” by President Biden’s “hypocritical” energy policies that benefit U.S. adversaries like China and Russia.
“It seems like our foreign adversaries get first dibs at energy availability and America is last,” Morrisey said in an interview with Fox News. “It’s hard to reconcile this administration’s foreign policy with their domestic policy because the two are at odds with one another.”
The West Virginia attorney general has been active on energy issues, which are critical to his coal-rich state.
In coordination with 18 other states, West Virginia has petitioned the Supreme Court to limit the Environment Protection Agency’s authority in an attempt to protect energy jobs.
The West Virginia Republican said the climate plan Biden announced last month was a major win for China’s economy.
WEST VIRGINIA AG THREATENS LAWSUIT AGAINST BIDEN CLIMATE PLAN
The White House has proposed cutting U.S. carbon emissions in half from 2005 levels by 2030. But this goal will mean major changes for U.S. infrastructure and the energy sector – economic hurdles that China has not committed to pursuing.
“And now with respect to Nord Stream, its Russia first, American last,” Morrisey said.
This week, the Biden administration announced it will waive sanctions on the company building the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will run natural gas from Russia to Europe.
The announcement is a reversal from previous comments made by the administration.
Biden had called Nord Stream 2 a “bad deal for Europe,” and Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers he was “determined” to prevent the pipeline’s completion.
Republicans are frustrated by Biden’s day-one decision to shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline — which would have run oil from Canada to the U.S. — coupled with his new support for a pipeline that will benefit the Kremlin.
“It is hypocritical,” Morrisey said.
19 STATES ASK SUPREME COURT TO LIMIT EPA AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO PROTECT JOBS
The attorney general further pointed to the Biden administration’s ambiguous attitude towards fossil fuels as an indication that White House policies need more congressional oversight.
“Right after the Colonial Pipeline issue occurred, you have the Energy Secretary come out and talk about the importance of pipelines, yet this very administration is trying to destroy pipelines whenever it can,” he said.
“This is a wrong-headed approach for the American economy, it’s going to cripple America’s energy independence,” Morrisey said.
The coalition petitioning the Supreme Court has asked it to reverse a January decision by the D.C. Court of Appeals that allowed the EPA to “decarbonize” business and power plants that utilize natural gas “without congressional input.”
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Similar to a suit launched by Morrisey and 26 other states in 2014, the litigation alleges EPA overreach.
“One executive agency cannot possess almighty, unlimited power. These are issues that have to be worked out in Congress and negotiated,” the attorney general said.
Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
