With oil prices at their lowest in years, Rep. Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Republican, credited his state for its recent energy boom but said more needs to be done on the federal end.
Mr. Cramer was asked whether he could give any kudos to President Obama in light of developments like falling oil prices, Mr. Obama’s rescuing the auto industry and his move to normalize relations with Cuba.
“With regard to oil success and development of oil, you’re welcome on behalf of the people of North Dakota, Mr. President — North Dakota is largely successful because most of our oil is on private and state land, not federal land,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “We need to open up more federal lands and offshore to really get the economy going, to really create energy security and … national security and economic security.”
Mr. Cramer, the sponsor of a measure the House plans to take up in short order to authorize the Keystone XL Pipeline, also said he disagrees with Mr. Obama on the president’s health care law, but said he’s “with” Mr. Obama on his recent move to normalize relations with Cuba.
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