President Joe Biden said this week that “It’s simply not true that my administration or policies are holding back domestic energy production.” He went on to cite onshore production statistics, comparing them to President Donald Trump’s first year in office, and stating that thousands of approved permits remain unused by the energy industry.
This is an intriguing statement for a president who has made such strong statements in the past about energy, climate, and industry. While the president spoke carefully that his “administration or policies” are not “holding back” production, at least three questions arise: (1) what are his administration and policies doing, (2) what about things he or his administration has said or done outside of policy, and (3) what does it mean to “hold back” – does that mean legally restraining or creating the conditions that result in the energy industry holding back.
To answer these questions, it is instructive to revisit a brief history of statements, actions, and priorities from the past two years, starting with then candidate Joe Biden and leading into this week.
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