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WASHINGTON -- West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin feels we have the energy available in the United States to take care of our domestic and international needs which in turn would cut down on the need for Russian oil.
Manchin, D-W.Va., participated in a video press conference Wednesday with reporters from around the state to discuss the developing situation in Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, America's energy policy, President Joe Biden's State of the Union Speech and more.
The senator said Biden's speech probably would have been different had Russia not invaded Ukraine last week. However, that event has shaped so much of what is currently happening in the world now with international relations and how Russia is being held accountable for the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"If we are going to be serious about the support we have for Ukraine, and we are as a country, all of our allies are united like never before," Manchin said. "I have never seen anything like this come together the way it has.
"This has united the free world like never before."
During the State of the Union speech Tuesday evening, Manchin sat with Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah to show a "united front."
"If we can't show that we are united and not divided in the political discourse we have had for far too long, how do we expect our allies and our NATO allies to rally around and unite against the aggressions of what Russia is doing right now," Manchin said. "We have to work together.
"If we can't even sit together, we won't be able to communicate together and we won't be able to solve the problems our country needs to solve."
Showing unity to the rest of the world is also important. Manchin talked about how the resolve of the Ukrainian people, especially President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has brought so many people together and inspired the world at this difficult time.
"We we can't even sit together, communicate and talk -- God help us all," he said.
Those taking a stand against Russia need to be prohibiting any products coming directly from Russia that benefit the Russian government or Putin and his supporters, including petroleum, the senator said.
Businesses and others in the U.S. have bought over 650,000 barrels a day for some time, especially in the northeast where they don't have distribution gaslines to help supply their power needs, Manchin said.
Manchin said he will be introducing a bi-partisan piece of legislation to declare a national emergency and direct the president to use his existing authority to prohibit imports of crude oil, petroleum and other products from Russia. It would exempt products already on their way to the U.S.
He also wants to see energy production in the U.S., and especially in the Appalachian region, increase to make up for what will not be allowed to come in through sanctions and more against Russia.
"With that, we want to make sure there is no hardship to the American public," Manchin said. "We can prevent that by ramping up our production. We have the ability. We have produced a lot more than we are today."
He wants to see production increase on federal lands and in the Gulf of Mexico by removing restrictions and bans in place.
"We have to get back to producing the energy our country needs," Manchin said. "We can do it. We just have to step to the plate."
The Energy and Natural Resource Committee will be having a hearing today and Manchin said he wants to see why West Virginia and other states cannot get a gasline out of the Marcellus and Utica Shales.
He said the pipelines like the Atlantic Pipeline were shut down and closed. The Mountain Valley Pipeline is 95 percent complete with around 20-30 miles of line to go that can be utilized.
In addressing many climate concerns, Manchin said with innovations being made in how it is removed, the climate can still be protected.
"The energy we produce in America is cleaner than anywhere else in the world," Manchin said. "We need to stop the flow of Russian oil.
"If we have bars across America that will stop selling or buying Russian vodka, surely we can stop Russian oil from coming into America," Manchin said.
The senator said many things still come down to getting the United States financial house in order to handle the other things the country needs to get done and bring down the national debt which is over $30 trillion. He wants to look at having a more equal tax code where people pay their fair share. Also, energy policies need to be put in order and be reliable.
He has nothing against renewable forms of energy, but it does not yet have the capacity to run the nation's economy and to help the nation's allies.
"We do have the energy and we have the ability to take care of America and our allies around the world," Manchin said.
Putin could take more drastic actions in the future that could endanger the world.
"I'm saying let's be prepared," Manchin said.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com