To watch a video of Chairman Manchin’s remarks, click here.

Washington, DC – Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, criticized the Biden Administration for lifting sanctions against Venezuela during his opening remarks in an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

“I also want to briefly express at the outset my strong concerns about the news last night that this administration has lifted most sanctions on Venezuelan oil for the next 6 months. On the heels of announcing the smallest 5-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan in decades, this administration is turning to Venezuela — they know I have a problem and I’m sure many of you will have feelings on this — one of the world’s dirtiest energy producers and an oppressor of its own people, to help make up the production that they refuse to allow in America. I understand that the administration believes this will encourage Venezuela to make democratic reforms, that has been tried, and we’ve failed before. It makes no sense at all to reward bad actors before they actually take the action you want. We tried that with Iran, and now here we are with Venezuela,” said Chairman Manchin.