WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) reintroduced their bipartisan Banning SPR Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act for the 119th Congress. Their commonsense legislation would ban China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves, protecting American energy independence and national security. The bill passed the House three times in the 118th Congress, including via two unanimous votes. They are joined by Senators Fetterman (D-PA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who introduced identical counterpart legislation in the Senate today. 

“When I heard there was a loophole enabling our foreign adversaries to purchase oil from our strategic reserves, I was shocked and outraged,” said Houlahan. “When gas prices rise, releases from the strategic reserve are meant to ease the financial burden for working families — not potentially end up in the hands of those who wish our service members, country, and NATO Allies harm. Closing this loophole requires a Congressional fix, and I’m proud to partner with Reps. Don Bacon and Jay Obernolte to do just that. We've seen support for it in the past; it's time to get this bill across the finish line and signed into law.” 

“It has never made sense to sell oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to tyrants who abuse their own people or wage war on peaceful democracies,” said Bacon. “We need to expand American innovation and production here at home instead of selling to our adversaries who want to harm America and our allies.” 

“America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a vital safeguard for our nation’s energy security and economic stability,” said Obernolte. “This legislation ensures that our emergency oil reserve is used to support American interests and does not benefit countries that don't share our values. Our nation invests in these assets so that in a time of need they are available to us. We must ensure that remains the case.” 

“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve protects America’s energy, economic, and national security,” said Fetterman. “We must prioritize the safety of America and our allies – we cannot allow our adversaries to purchase oil from our critical energy reserves. This is a commonsense bill with strong bipartisan support. I’m proud to introduce it with Senator Cruz, Senator Slotkin, and my colleagues in the House. I look forward to getting it signed into law this congress.”

“Our Strategic Petroleum Reserve is meant to bolster our national security, and it should never be sold to hostile nations like Russia, Iran or China,” said Slotkin. “This bipartisan bill prevents hostile nations from buying oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Energy security shouldn’t ever be a partisan issue, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill and fortify our energy security as a nation.”  

“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is meant to protect the U.S. during crises, not supply our adversaries. Under President Biden, part of this reserve was sold, benefiting China's strategic interests,” said Cruz. “There is strong bipartisan consensus around preventing such a sale from being repeated. I’m proud to work with Senator Fetterman and Senator Slotkin on this legislation, which will prevent U.S. oil reserves from being sold to adversarial nations.”

They are joined by 21 original cosponsors in the House, evenly divided between Republican and Democrats — Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA), James Moylan (R-GU), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Rich McCormick (R-GA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), GT Thompson (R-PA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Young Kim (R-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Chris Deluzio (D-PA). 

Read the full text of the bill here. Learn more about the bill here. 

Background:

In 2015, policy changes created a regulatory loophole enabling foreign nations, including U.S. adversaries, to purchase oil released from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves. Most recently, in 2022, reports surfaced that a Chinese-affiliated company was able to purchase American SPR oil, which prompted a question at one of Houlahan’s town halls. After further research, Houlahan partnered with Rep. Don Bacon to introduce bipartisan legislation in the last two Congresses to close this loophole. In the 118th Congress, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced a bipartisan and bicameral Senate version. The bill has passed the House multiple times and has garnered overwhelming bipartisan support but was not signed into law. 

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, engineer, entrepreneur, educator, and nonprofit leader. She is serving her fourth consecutive term representing the people of Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. Houlahan is the first female veteran named as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Military Personnel Subcommittee and is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. 

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