Letter to the editor: Biden must open access to American energy

In his State of the Union speech, President Biden promised to fight inflation. One of the biggest contributors to inflation is rising energy costs. The cost of gas, heating oil, electricity, etc., affects every aspect of our society. The price of food, consumer goods, transporting products and just about everything rises accordingly.

The first things Biden did was to cancel plans for the Keystone XL pipeline to cross into the United States, rescind gas and oil leases and prohibit further exploration and development of these resources on American soil. We were energy dependent just a short time ago. Gas was around $2 a gallon. Now we are once again dependent on foreign sources of energy, countries that could care less about the American people or the plight of the U.S. We are enriching many who hate us.

If Biden is serious about lowering inflation, he should give American companies the freedom to provide the American people access to the ocean of energy under our feet. This can be done in an efficient, environmentally safe way. Open the gas and oil leases. Restart the Keystone XL pipeline construction.

The U.S. should be energy independent not only to benefit the economy but also as a matter of national security.

Will Biden do this to benefit the American people?

Robert Anderson

Freeport