Oklahoma Governor Urges Biden to Halt Import of Russian Oil

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt wrote to President Joe Biden on Tuesday, urging Biden’s administration to halt the importation of Russian oil and natural gas and embrace domestic production.

In his letter, the first-term Republican also urged Biden’s administration to support the construction of more domestic oil and gas infrastructure, including pipelines to transport natural gas to the East Coast.

“The recent events in Ukraine are yet another example of why we should be selling energy to our friends and not buying it from our enemies,” Stitt wrote.

The oil and natural gas industry is a huge driver of Oklahoma’s economy, supporting nearly 390,000 jobs and providing more than $32.7 billion in annual wages in 2019, according to a report from the American Petroleum Institute.

“It is unfathomable and inexcusable that some Americans are forced to depend on Vladimir Putin for their energy needs as he wages war against Ukraine instead of their own country,” Stitt wrote.