Many people are curious about the Trump administration’s plans to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) that was so callously abused by whomever was making decisions in the Biden administration, which drew this national security tool down to depleted levels not seen in more than 40 years.

Created in the early ‘70s by congress and President Richard Nixon as a security response to the first Arab Oil Embargo, the SPR is intended for use during war time and other national emergencies to ensure against the collapse of the economy and that the U.S. military has fuel to power America’s war machine. It was not intended to be cut by 40% to influence a mid-term election, as whomever was in control of the Biden autopen which signed the pretend President’s name to every executive order, bill, and pardon issued during his administration decided to do.

A widespread perception exists in the public that refilling the SPR is like waving a magic wand and getting congress to appropriate billions of dollars to fund it. But the reality is that there is a whole, complex process involved after funding is secured. That process involves advance public notice, taking multiple bids for each tranche of crude to be purchased, and then properly injecting the oil back into half-filled salt caverns, some of which may have seen their integrity damaged by sitting unfilled for so long.