Let me cut to it if I may. In Sturgis Michigan it is two dollars eighty nine cents a gallon. I guess that's better than in
California. What is the Granholm plan to increase oil production in America.
Oh that is hilarious. Would that I had the magic wand on this. As
you know of course oil is a global market. It is controlled by a cartel. That cartel is called opaque. And they made a decision
yesterday that they were not going to increase beyond what they were already planning. So you know the interesting thing is you
know the Department of Energy has an energy information agency and that agency does the forecasting of what oil and gas prices
are going to be as of as of right now. Their forecast for the beginning of December is that on average gas prices gasoline
prices will be about three dollars and five cents at the beginning of December. They will do an adjustment to that
forecast in the next week or so. So we'll see if that holds. But clearly the Biden administration is very concerned about the
price at the pump. And certainly the price in people's wallets for natural gas as well for this winter including I would say
propane and heating oil particularly in the northeast. What is the American solution if they're the bad guys Russian and OPEC's
at the global price in the market. We all understand the economics. What is the Biden plan to jumpstart energy production
across America. Well here's the Biden plan. I'm here in Glasgow the Biden plan
is to diversify and to make sure that we move in a direction of clean energy where we're not reliant upon cartels and we're not
reliant upon geopolitical adversaries who may be creating choke points for our ability and our people to be able to access
energy. So that's obviously a longer term strategy. And we will continue. This is what's called a transition. But if 80 plus
dollars a barrel doesn't incentivize oil companies to get off the sidelines I'm not sure what. Well for those of you on radio
today and John Farrell I must note that the former governor of Michigan is wearing East Lansing Green today. That's what the
color red line always an opaque class. I do wonder and I don't think it's funny. Senator Manchin had this to say early this
week. Let's take a listen. I say that we can basically do more for ourselves. We've been
energy independent for the first time in 67 years. Why can't we do more. Why can't we produce more. We've got plenty of natural
gas. My state beautiful state of West Virginia has an ocean of natural gas under it. So just let us build the pipeline. We can
get the product to market. And why don't we do more drilling and why don't we do more basically production in the United States.
I'm not depending on OPEC. I'm not depending on other countries for my energy anymore. We know how to do it. We have the
technology. We should be resisted relying on ourselves. The words of the senator the Democrat Mr. mentioned that these days
the words of the pioneer CEO. Madam Secretary let's pick up with the words of the pioneer CEO. The president's efforts to
restrict drilling on federal land and offshore have been stunning to back for some his quote. He's got to back off his
rhetoric on federal leases coming forward. Do you think it's true that we are reliant on OPEC plus in the United States of
America. We are reliant on a global gas market. I mean the global gas
market. We can't just produce oil for the United States. It is on a global market. And let me just say the president has not
banned oil and gas leases. There are 23 million acres of public lands. That includes offshore and onshore where there are leases
that have that are not being used right now by oil and gas companies. Over 7000 leases have been issued and the oil and gas
companies are not using them. They're sitting on them. They're stockpiling these leases. Why is that. So we need you know if
the production issue is not at the foot of the president there is not a ban on oil and gas leases on federal lands. Madam
Secretary you know I'm careful with my words. I didn't say ban. I said restrict. And in addition to that you're talking about
why they won't invest. We know why they won't invest. They won't invest because this administration is speaking so highly of this
big energy transition that you're actively supporting. So I think it's misleading to say that we are in the United States of
America increasingly dependent on OPEC. Plus when we've seen oil production in this country increase over the last several
decades now there are some options out there for you as you know with the SPRO with the options on the table to address the
situation we're in at the moment the United States of America is in control of its own destiny here. I do wonder if the SPRO is
an option for you to address what's happening in the commodity market.
The esper is certainly on the table as an option and the president will have more to say about that. But let us be clear
I mean just to go back to your other point. I mean these the oil and gas companies have leases that there is no slowdown. There
is no. Whatever the words were that you use. There is no restriction. None ever on their ability to use those leases over
7000 of them on public lands right now. So I just don't want to let that stand. It is not the president's doing that is causing
the oil and gas companies right now to decide to slow down. Actually they were slowed down because of Covid. And we're
seeing some movement of oil rigs getting back online. But it is curious about why they are not incentivized more at eighty
dollars a barrel. Let me just say and you're right about us moving to clean energy that is the future and that is the long
term strategy. And we must do that so that we're not reliant upon fuels that pollute the air that we see that are
accelerating climate change. To that point Secretary Granholm some people say that the best cure to get to a greener future
faster is to allow gas prices to go higher. They are much higher in places like the United Kingdom. Why isn't there a school of
thought saying this is just fine. Perhaps people reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and diversify more quickly.
Because real people use fossil fuels and real people's wallets livelihoods are at stake. The president does not want to see the
price of fuel hurt and pinch real people. Poor communities have about third. Up to 30 percent of their monthly income is based
upon fuels. It's not right to raise the price of fuels that would actually hurt real people. That is not in the president's
plan and he doesn't want to see that. Madam Secretary when can we expect a decision where the SPRO. Is that something you
thinking about imminently. I know the president is looking at it. He'll have more to say
about it.