Cotton to Wright: Democrat’s Undermining of Strategic Petroleum Reserve Threatens Higher Gas Prices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Patrick McCann(202) 224-2353March 11, 2026
Cotton to Wright: Democrat’s Undermining of Strategic Petroleum Reserve Threatens Higher Gas Prices
Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright raising concerns over the Biden administration’s misuse of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). America’s emergency energy stockpile is an instrument designed to protect our national security and respond to supply emergencies, not a political tool.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“I write to express my concerns about the Biden administration’s actions related to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and its consequences for the U.S. government’s ability to respond to the illegal attacks by the Iranian regime in the Middle East.
The Biden administration released 180 million barrels from the SPR between April and October 2022 to suppress gas prices ahead of the midterm elections. That decision drained the reserve to a 40-year low. The decision to drain the SPR was not a response to a supply emergency; it was a deliberate political act designed to protect Democrats from the consequences of their own failed energy policies.”
Full text of the letter may be foundhereand below.
March 11, 2026
Secretary Chris WrightSecretary of EnergyU.S. Department of Energy1000 Independence Avenue SouthwestWashington, D.C. 20024
Dear Secretary Wright,
I write to express my concerns about the Biden administration’s actions related to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and its consequences for the U.S. government’s ability to respond to the illegal attacks by the Iranian regime in the Middle East.
The Biden administration released 180 million barrels from the SPR between April and October 2022 to suppress gas prices ahead of the midterm elections. That decision drained the reserve to a 40-year low. The decision to drain the SPR was not a response to a supply emergency; it was a deliberate political act designed to protect Democrats from the consequences of their own failed energy policies.
This wasn’t the first time Democrats undermined the reserve. In 2020, they blocked the Trump administration’s effort to invest $3 billion in domestic petroleum for the SPR, calling it a “bailout” for the oil industry. Then, in January 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, which imposed a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands and offshore waters. This executive order constrained domestic production while the administration was draining the reserve.
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint, with roughly 20 percent of the global petroleum liquids consumption moving through it in recent years. That is precisely why the SPR must be treated as a strategic national security asset, not a political tool.
I commend President Trump’s commitment to replenish the SPR and reestablish the principle that America’s emergency stockpile is an instrument designed to protect our national security. To better understand how Biden’s actions have impacted the SPR, I respectfully request answers to the following questions:
I look forward to continuing our work together on this important matter.
Sincerely,
Tom CottonUnited States Senator
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