Pence rebukes Obama over committing to support Brazilian oil

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) is criticizing President Obama for expressing support for Brazilian oil production while limiting American energy output.

"Under his administration, there is a de facto moratorium on oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico," Pence wrote in an op-ed Monday in The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind. "The United States has a drilling ban off both coasts, on Alaska's continental shelf and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."

Permitting for deepwater projects in the Gulf was halted after last year's BP oil spill and the first permits were only recently issued; permitting for shallow-water projects has also slowed. 

Pence contrasted those restrictions to the commitment Obama made last month to Dilma Rousseff, his Brazilian counterpart, that the U.S. would assist the country in developing its oil reserves and eventually become the country’s "best customer."

"Committing the United States to even more foreign energy resources is not sound energy policy," said Pence. "America's oil, natural gas and coal resources are equivalent to 1.3 trillion barrels of oil, the largest proven reserves in the world. American energy is the solution to America's energy crisis."

In the op-ed, Pence also said he was concerned that a rapid rise in gas prices had the potential to worsen this summer.