04.16.24

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), last night criticized the Biden administration for appeasing Iran and declining to enforce oil sanctions on the terrorist regime while simultaneously moving to restrict development on more than 10 million acres of land in Alaska. Recent reports indicate the Biden administration is preparing to finalize a rule reversing more than half of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) from development as soon as this week. The NPR-A was explicitly set aside by Congress for the purpose of resource development.

Sen. Sullivan has repeatedly called for a stronger response to Iranian aggression in the Middle East, urging the Biden administration to properly enforce Trump-era sanctions against Iranian regime.

Click here or the image above to watch the full interview on CNBC "Last Call."

SULLIVAN: The Biden Administration is Sanctioning Alaska More than Terrorist Regimes

BRIAN SULLIVAN: Let's bring in Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. He also serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. It is great to have you to kick off the show. This is a bigger story for the world. What Israel does in response, in anything, to Iran, could determine the face of peace and also the fate of, the price of oil, global growth, mobile energy and a lot of cost on the American and Alaskan consumer. What do you think Israel may do in response?

DAN SULLIVAN: Brian, I think it is really important to stand with Israel in this regard. One thing that was in my view disturbing, President Biden at least to the press that they were saying, hey, there should not be any more retaliation. I think we need to give Israel the rights. As a sovereign nation, they can retaliate if it is in their own interest.

I will tell you this, the other thing we need to do, the Biden administration needs to stop appeasing Iran. You were talking about the policies as it relates to energy. This administration came in after the Trump administration's very successful, comprehensive approach to sanctions against Iran. The Biden administration came in from day one and essentially has not enforced those sanctions. I think it is time to do it again. there would be bipartisan support, there is no doubt in the U.S. Senate to do that.

The real irony is, as you know, right now, as opposed to sanctioning Iran or Venezuela with regard to oil, this administration is getting ready to sanction Alaska. They are sanctioning my state, my constituents, a lot more than they are sanctioning the terrorist regimes in Tehran or Venezuela. As you know, that is what this new proposal they are thinking about with the national petroleum reserve of Alaska, to shut that down. It's one of the most prolific oil basins anywhere in the world. You have a policy, in my view, that is upside down. Hopefully they will finally recognize how this undermines America's national security interests, and energy security interests as well.

SULLIVAN: The Biden Administration Shutting Down the NPR-A is Almost Certainly Illegal

BRIAN SULLIVAN: To your point, I want to switch gears and go to the story you were referring to. A lot of our viewers, if they do not live in Alaska, probably do not know what is going on. Correct me if I'm wrong, the White House and Department of Interior are nearing a rule change that would severely limit or potentially ban a lot of new oil drilling in your wildlife reserve. It would do so by changing rules that would essentially make it too expensive or unwilling to drill for new oil, if not outright ban it.

Senator, over the weekend, with regard to Iran, I spoke to number of people on both sides of the situation as well. There is some overlap between people. I had a high-level source in DC tell me this rule may be delayed or even permanently shelved because the White House does not want to do anything that could be seen as driving up the cost of oil right now, again, my source. What can you tell us, senator, about where we may stand right now?

DAN SULLIVAN: Brian, I am glad you heard that. Just for your listeners to hear, this is not a wilderness area, this is called the national petroleum reserve of Alaska. It used to be called the naval petroleum reserve of Alaska. This was set aside decades ago, not controversial, by the way. This is not like and what are, or other parts of our great state.

This was set aside decades ago for America's national security. First of all, the fact that the Biden administration has said we will shut down the NPR-A is almost certainly illegal. Congress has said, this is for America's national security. As I mentioned earlier, this has now become one of the most prolific petroleum basins in the world. Just ask anyone in the business.

We are finding oil fields right next to existing infrastructure. We have the highest standards on the environment in terms of production in the world. At this juncture, to have the federal government say, we will sanction Alaska and not let them produce oil in a place that congress has said, you need to produce oil for America's national security. And we will still allow terrorists, not just Iran, but Venezuela.

Remember, Brian, a couple of months ago, the Biden administration cut a deal with the Venezuelans and said, it you hold fair elections, we will lift sanctions on you. They lifted sanctions and Maduro and the terrorists in Venezuela essentially went to Biden and the Secretary of State and said, we will not hold fair elections. Yet, you still do not have them snapping back sanctions against Venezuela. It is an upside-down policy. Sanctioning Americans in terms of American oil production and letting terrorist regimes produce, it makes no sense.

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