With Oil Prices Low House Democrats Urge Bush to Fill the Strategic Oil Reserves

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and several other House Democrats have sent a letter to President Bush urging him to take advantage of new low prices on oil and fill the nations' strategic oil reserves. The "lawmakers ... called upon the Department of Energy to resume buying oil for America’s national oil reserves, calling it the prudent response to lower oil prices, just as stopping the fill of the reserves was a prudent response when oil rose above $100 per barrel... “At current prices, a smart New Year’s resolution for the Bush administration is to start buying oil again for our national reserves,” said Rep. Markey, who is Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Just as it was prudent to stop buying oil at record high prices, we should continue to fill the reserves now that prices have plummeted. That’s sensible fiscal policy, plain and simple.” Markey and his fellow House Democrats make a good point that Bush, who is still the President, despite his intentions to ignore many of his duties and responsibilities of office show accept the Democrats advice, and for the good of the nation take action to fill the reserve with cheap oil in order to provide security in the future and to save the public some money. "The letter, sent by Reps. Markey and Welch to DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman, explains that while the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-232), which was enacted into law on May 19, 2008, mandated that the Department suspend filling the SPR through December 31, 2008, lower prices now dictate a need to start buying oil once again. The legislation said that oil could be purchased again when average prices dipped below $75 per barrel for 90 consecutive days. However, because oil has declined so precipitously—by more than $100 since the high of $147 this summer— the letter says “once again entering into contracts to fill the SPR would appear to be financially prudent for the Department, and consistent with Congressional goals for this program. The letter notes the recommendation of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the Department seek to “acquire more oil [to fill the SPR] when prices are low and less when prices are high.” GAO has estimated that had the Department of Energy filled the SPR using a constant dollar value rather than a constant volume between 2001 and 2005 it could have reduced costs to taxpayers by more than 10 percent, saving approximately $590 million.” The onus is on Bush if he fails to heed the Democrats' advice; at the very least Bush should engage in a dialog with the Democrats to make plans for filling the reserves. Ignoring the Democrats letter would be highly irresponsible of the Bush Administration considering the great volatility exhibited in the oil markets over recent months.