Bennet and Hickenlooper silent amid bipartisan calls to ban Russian oil imports and pursue American energy independence

DENVER, CO – Republicans and a growing number of Democrats are calling on President Biden to ban Russian oil imports and expand production at home, but Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are nowhere to be found.

Democrats from across the ideological spectrum ranging from Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin are pushing Biden to end Russian oil imports, which effectively underwrite Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Manchin, the Chair of the Senate Energy Committee, also reiterated his call for America to dramatically increase energy production and pursue American energy independence in advance of Biden’s State of the Union address.

Hickenlooper is a member of the Senate Energy Committee.

Bennet and Hickenlooper’s reluctance to weigh in on the matter may be connected to resistance to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House, who have dismissed Manchin’s call to ramp up domestic oil production.

If you are covering President Biden’s State of the Union address this evening, please consider the following statement from Compass Colorado.

“Joe Manchin is right, it is hypocritical and senseless to underwrite Putin’s war in Ukraine while restricting domestic energy production in places like Colorado,” said Compass Colorado Executive Director Kyle Kohli.

“Bennet and Hickenlooper cannot decry the atrocities of Putin while refusing to take meaningful action in Congress to stop funding this war.”

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