The Obama administration is being accused of playing politics with the nation's oil reserves, while the president defended the move last week saying it was necessary because of the oil supplies lost due to Middle East turmoil.

The release from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve will be the largest ever, amounting to half of a 60-million-barrel international infusion of oil planned for the world market over the next month.

Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas), along with other GOP leaders and business groups, accuses President Barack Obama of playing politics with the country's oil reserves, which are intended to address emergencies...