Fong Advances REFINER Act, A Win for California Producers and Energy Security

Congressman Vince Fong has once again planted his boots firmly in the ground on behalf of California’s embattled energy sector, casting a decisive vote for the REFINER Act, legislation authored by Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy.

The bill is aimed at boosting U.S. refining capacity and tackling the fuel-price volatility that Sacramento politicians pretend has no cause. Fong’s office announced his support with a clarity and seriousness that stands out in a state where refinery closures are treated like a feature, not a bug. His message was simple: the United States needs more refining capacity, not less, and California, home to some of the most strained, overburdened refineries in the country, has the most to lose if this trend continues.

The REFINER Act, now passed out of the House with bipartisan backing, is designed to confront the steady attrition of U.S. refineries, a problem Californians feel every time they pull up to the pump. Years of hyper-regulation, expensive boutique fuel requirements, and relentless pressure campaigns from well-funded activist groups have pushed refineries into retirement or conversion, leaving fewer facilities to produce the fuel Californians use every single day. The result is predictable: tight supply, higher prices, and a state more dependent than ever on imports. Fong’s support for this bill reflects an understanding most Sacramento politicians refuse to acknowledge, that stable refining capacity is not optional, and that California’s independent producers cannot survive in an ecosystem where refining infrastructure is allowed to wither away.

The REFINER Act would require the National Petroleum Council to submit a report to the Secretary of Energy and Congress, detailing: 

• The role of petrochemical refineries in the U.S. and the contribution they make to the energy security of the United States, including the reliability of supply in the U.S. of liquid fuels and feedstocks, and the affordability of liquid fuels for consumers in the U.S.;

• Analyses and projections for the capacity of petrochemical refineries in the U.S., opportunities for expanding capacity, and current risks to the refineries;

• An assessment of any Federal or State executive actions, regulations, or policies that have caused or contributed to a decline in refining capacity; and

• Any recommendations for Federal agencies and Congress to encourage an increase in refining capacity. 
  

California consumes 1.8 million barrels of petroleum products per day, yet the state has spent years shrinking the very system that turns crude oil into usable fuel. Fong’s vote signals a long-overdue pushback. His press release underscores the essential point: maintaining refineries is about affordability, supply security, and national strength. It costs consumers dearly when capacity goes offline, and it hurts small producers first and worst. For CIPA members, refinery stability is not an abstract policy debate. It is the difference between having reliable market access and watching local production get shoved out by imports.

Fong’s decision to champion the REFINER Act places him squarely in the camp of lawmakers who see America’s energy future as something worth building, not dismantling. At a time when the state government is chasing fantasies of overnight energy transitions, Fong is focused on the fundamentals: keeping fuel flowing, keeping prices stable, and ensuring that California’s oil producers have a functioning refining network to deliver their product. His work aligns with the basic economic reality that every Californian knows: energy must come from somewhere, and if we do not produce and refine it here, we will pay other countries to do it for us.

The House’s passage of the REFINER Act now places the next move in the Senate’s hands. For CIPA and its federal partners, this is the moment to continue pressing the case, because the stakes are clear: without a strong refining sector, California’s entire energy economy becomes even more fragile. Fong’s leadership offers a path forward, a practical, grounded, and rooted push that would meet the needs of real people who depend on affordable, reliable energy. In an era of political theater and regulatory zealotry, it is refreshing to see a California representative putting his shoulder to the wheel for energy security, economic stability, and the survival of local oil production. Congressman Fong deserves real credit for recognizing that California cannot thrive without a healthy refining backbone, and for voting accordingly.