Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) today joined his colleagues in both chambers of Congress to pass legislation that will suspend the federal government’s daily consumption of more than 70,000 barrels of oil. H.R. 6022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act could reduce gas prices by as much as 24 cents per gallon.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is nearly 97 percent full, which is higher than it has ever been, yet President Bush continues to pour tens of thousands of barrels of oil into it each day. There is more in the SPR today than there was in April of 2006 when the President claimed that the Reserve was “sufficiently large enough to guard against any major supply disruption.”

“While oil is priced at $120 a barrel and gas prices in Michigan have reached $3.82 for a gallon, the President continues unnecessarily to fill our reserves -- increasing demand and taking oil off the market,” said Kildee.

Kildee was an original cosponsor of the bill, which unless the price of oil drops below $75 per barrel would temporarily suspend, through the end of this year, the Department of Energy’s ability to directly purchase oil or to enter into new contracts to obtain it for the SPR. “Though the President already sustains the authority to suspend the fill, he has yet to answer calls to do so. Congress will suspend his authority and make the decision for him,” said Kildee.

Congress has already taken energy independence in a new direction and enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act, with provisions to combat oil market manipulation, make cars and trucks more fuel efficient, and promote the use of more affordable American biofuels. The House has also passed legislation to crack down on price gouging, hold OPEC controlled entities accountable for oil price fixing, and repeal subsidies for profit-rich Big Oil so we can invest in a renewable energy future. However, Republicans in Congress have opposed these efforts and President Bush has threatened to veto them.