Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced a hearing titled Oversight of FERC: Advancing Affordable and Reliable Energy for All Americans.

“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) plays a vital role in ensuring that families and businesses across the country have access to reliable and affordable electricity and natural gas,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta. “It’s critical that FERC continues to address the efficient permitting of interstate natural gas pipelines to deliver the energy upon which our communities rely. This hearing will offer the opportunity to discuss the work that is being done to help strengthen our electric grid and to increase resources for onshoring advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence infrastructure, all while lowering costs for hard-working families across the country.”

Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled Oversight of FERC: Advancing Affordable and Reliable Energy for All Americans.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Energy hearing to discuss oversight of FERC.

DATE: Tuesday, February 3, 2026

TIME: 10:15 AM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed online at energycommerce.house.gov. If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Seth Ricketts at Seth.Ricketts@mail.house.gov. If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, _ the Wall Street Journal _ recently highlighted that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is leading efforts to modernize America’s chemical safety law through proposed legislation that would streamline approvals for new chemicals and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.

In Case You Missed It:

“Republicans on Capitol Hill are set to propose legislation aimed at helping companies to more quickly get the government’s blessing to use and sell many more new chemicals, from those used in heavy manufacturing to household disinfectants.

“Draft legislation seen by WSJ Pro Sustainable Business would implement a series of changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act—a sprawling law covering the impact of thousands of chemicals on the environment and public health. The legislation, first enacted in the 1970s, tasks the Environmental Protection Agency with chemical safety reviews.

“The changes would make it easier for a swath of industries to get the green light to use new chemicals ranging from oil-and-gas additives to ingredients for cleaning products. It would also apply to new uses of already-approved chemicals.

“The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said it is going to hold a hearing on its plans on Jan. 22.

“The draft legislation would speed up approvals for chemicals already given the green light in certain other countries so that they can be manufactured in the U.S. It also would require the EPA in its review process to give priority to new chemicals ‘intended to address supply-chain risks for critical materials.’ The committee said those updates would help American businesses compete with China—which dominates the critical-minerals market.

“The EPA under the Trump administration has proposed a series of changes to its regulation under the TSCA, including a bid in November to reduce the scope of reporting under the law for PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals.’ Meanwhile, many states are trying to cut such chemicals out of products from clothing to cosmetics.

“Maria Doa, a doctor who testified at a hearing in January last year focused on the TSCA, and who previously led chemical safety reviews at the EPA, said a 2016 bipartisan update to the law that increased safety reviews and testing ‘transformed the law from largely ineffective to one that set clear direction to protect human health and the environment.’

“The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said it wants to require the EPA to focus safety reviews and regulations ‘on actual or intended uses and risks, not mere speculation.’

“At the hearing about the law last year, Rep. Raul Ruiz (D., Calif.), who has also worked as an emergency physician, said the TSCA is vital to protect people from chemicals such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that can cause cancers and heart and liver diseases.

“He said the old version of the law ‘failed to safeguard our communities, allowing people to be exposed to harmful chemicals in their homes and workplaces, and this failure disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations.’

“Groups including the Environmental Defense Fund have said changes to the TSCA could lead to weaker protections for workers and communities living near chemical plants.

“Brett Guthrie (R., Ky.), chairman of the committee, said the draft legislation Republicans are proposing ‘will help maintain America’s leadership in chemical innovation and strengthen domestic competitiveness in the global marketplace.’

“Chris Jahn, president of the American Chemistry Council, said ahead of the draft release that ‘Congress is leading by moving legislation to provide durable improvements to ensure that U.S. manufacturing remains competitive,’ adding that he thinks it is necessary for ‘the next generation of semiconductors, AI and advanced technologies’ to be made in the U.S.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a legislative hearing titled Protecting America’s Energy Infrastructure in Today’s Cyber and Physical Threat Landscape.

“Altogether, this package of security bills comes at a critical time,” said Chairman Latta. “Our adversaries remain close on our heels to overtake the United States as the leading technological superpower on the world stage. Our communities cannot afford to endure disruptive large-scale attacks that can be prevented with commonsense solutions and collaboration.”

Watch the full hearing ** here **.

Below are key excerpts from yesterday's hearing:

Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14): “I like to tell people that the things that make America great are the things that America makes. Now, how do we do that? We do that with a reliable, dependable power system. Electric grids include all of those things that we need—everything that we need to make this country great. It’s the President’s reason for doing all of the things he’s doing that continues to make America great, so that we have a dependable, reliable, affordable energy supply. Would you agree?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “Yes, I would, sir. And I would add to that the energy system has to be built to meet peak demand in the summer and the winter, when electricity is needed most or people die. The head of NERC has called the situation facing the grid due to the disastrous energy subtraction policies of the previous administration, a five-alarm fire for the grid. That is simply because of the premature retirement of too much reliable, dispatchable generation.”

Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23): “Not only is my district rural, but we also experience severe winter storms that can threaten grid reliability, fuel delivery, and emergency response for days at a time. During Winter Storm Elliott in 2022, a prolonged cold and high energy demand strained the electrical grid. It disrupted fuel supplies, and it complicated restoration efforts. The storm underscored how weather alone can expose vulnerabilities across the entire energy system, even without a cyber or a physical attack. Under Secretary Fitzsimmons, how does DOE evaluate and plan for severe weather risks? And what steps does your office take to incorporate lessons from past severe weather events into preparedness, response, and coordination efforts?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “That’s a great question because as I mentioned, the energy system is built to meet summer and winter peaks. That is our fundamental responsibility to keep the lights on. And so, one of the core capabilities that CESER has is a capability that’s called Eagle Eye. It’s run in partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. And that allows us to have real-time situational awareness on power outages all across the country.”

Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15): “I am particularly interested in the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, which would update the Department of Energy Organization Act to include energy emergency and energy security functions assigned to an assistant secretary. Mr. Fitzsimmons, will elevating the DOE’s emergency response to an assistant secretary elevate the level of communication and coordination with other agencies?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “I think what’s more important than the particular title that the head of the office holds is the mission of the office, and that is incredibly important. We’ve been working on refocusing and clarifying the CESER mission because it is so important. It’s a new office, and sometimes new offices can kind of struggle to figure out where they fit. What we’ve said is CESER’s mission is to provide timely and actionable information to the energy sector. That’s then used to inform the development of world-class cyber and physical security technologies, which are used to harden and secure energy infrastructure.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, sent a letter to Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), highlighting the IEA’s decision to restore the inclusion of objective data analysis in the World Energy Outlook (WEO). By bringing back the Current Policies Scenario (CPS) in the report, the IEA is returning to its core mission and working to promote energy security. “Strengthening our nation’s energy security is vital to securing our grid, powering AI and domestic manufacturing, and ensuring that Americans have the energy resources they need,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta. “For the last several years, IEA forecasts incorrectly assumed the peak demand for oil and natural gas would come before 2030. As a result, these forecasts deterred investments by painting an inaccurate picture of what energy markets will need in the future. By finally standing up to activist pressure opposing the use of oil and natural gas to power our economy, the IEA will once again be able to provide the unbiased market forecasts decision makers rely on to provide reliable and affordable energy into the future.”   Key excerpts from the letter:   “Maintaining objective data analysis, free from activism, is imperative. The IEA has long stood as an invaluable source of unbiased data and analysis on the security of oil markets. The agency’s work carries significant weight for policymakers, the energy industry, and global financial firms. “Yet in 2020, the IEA, under pressure from climate activists eager to exploit the agency’s credibility to discourage oil and gas investment, abandoned its longstanding CPS, and began only publishing WEOs that relied on subjective scenarios that assumed different degrees of adherence to climate action agreements. These aggressive Stated Policies Scenarios (STEPS), rely heavily on policy aspirations, while ignoring market realities. “In the United States alone, oil and natural gas account for about 74 percent of the primary energy sources consumed every year, with natural gas accounting for approximately 43 percent of electric power generation. Due to artificial intelligence and other technologies, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts significant natural gas demand growth over the next several years. As you know, the EIA maintains the use of a policy-neutral baseline reference case. “Politicized and censored demand scenarios can distort policy decisions and misguide capital investment. Just last year, the Biden-Harris Administration leveraged these questionable IEA projections, while ignoring EIA data, to support banning liquefied natural gas export projects. This decision discouraged sufficient capital allocation toward critical energy supplies and emboldened Russia’s war machine.”   CLICK HERE to read the full letter. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Yesterday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, penned a letter to Secretary Jennifer Granholm questioning the Department of Energy’s involvement in the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to prevent new offshore oil and gas production, leading to higher prices for consumers and harming U.S. energy security. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “Closing off swaths of U.S. offshore areas to energy production, as the Biden-Harris Administration reportedly intends to do, will lead to higher energy prices for American families, the loss of American jobs, and greatly diminish our country’s energy security. As the Secretary of Energy, you have an obligation to weigh in on this matter and insist on a full review of the energy security and economic impacts before any decisions are finalized. “The United States stands at an energy crossroads, facing mounting global security threats and soaring demand for power. Instead of leading the world in energy production, we’ve allowed misguided “green” policies to hamstring our potential. It’s time to unleash American energy dominance again—the federal government must become an ally, not an obstacle, to our nation’s energy security. We look forward to your prompt response to this request, no later than January 10, 2025.” Read the story  here . BACKGROUND: This morning, the Biden Administration announced that more than 625 million square miles of coastline would be off-limits for energy production. Republican Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have continuously called on the Biden-Harris Administration to end its attack on American energy production before leaving office on January 20th. The letter requests an explanation of the DOE’s involvement in the decision and whether the White House or the Department of Interior consulted with the DOE about the plans to close off access to offshore resources. Any decision to shut down access to significant American energy resources impacts U.S. energy policy and should be reviewed by the DOE. The Biden Administration’s energy policies have continued to create major harm to America’s energy production and workforce. A unilateral ban on energy production in large swaths of the U.S. coastline will have lasting impacts on American energy production and security.

“DOE is threatening domestic jobs and economic development, weakening the energy security of European allies, and strengthening our adversaries” Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm demanding the agency stop rushing to prematurely release its anti-liquefied natural gas (LNG) study, which aims to hamstring the incoming Presidential administration. The letter also calls for DOE to lift the pause on LNG exports, which was a politically motivated decision by the Biden administration to appease radical environmental activists at the expense of American energy security and the security of our allies. KEY LETTER EXCERPTS: “Despite DOE’s prior findings and published reviews in favor of U.S. LNG exports, and contrary to DOE’s limited statutory authority under the NGA, the Biden administration’s DOE announced that it would expand its environmental review as part of a ‘managed transition’ to reduce use of fossil fuels. Recent press reports indicate that DOE is racing to complete a study on the climate impacts of LNG exports to hamper the incoming Republican administration and provide opportunities to challenge future project approvals in court.” [...] “ The results of the 2024 presidential election are clear, and DOE leadership will soon change. As a traditional part of the peaceful transfer of power, DOE should immediately stop work on any plans to expand the scope of review or add new conditions to LNG export licenses. DOE should immediately lift the ban on LNG export approvals in compliance with the NGA and the District Court order.” BACKGROUND: January 26, 2024 : The Biden administration announces indefinite “pause” on LNG export permits. Chair Rodgers immediately rebukes the decision, calling it a “gift to Putin.” February 5, 2024 : More than 150 House Republicans demand President Biden ends his de facto ban on American LNG exports. February 15, 2024 : E&C Republicans lead bipartisan passage of H.R. 7176 to reverse President Biden’s LNG export ban. April 8, 2024 : The Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security holds a field hearing in Port Arthur, Texas, with local leaders and energy workers to highlight the economic and public benefits of American energy production, including job creation. November 7, 2024 : Bloomberg Law reports that the “Biden administration is racing to complete a study that could complicate President-Elect Donald Trump’s plan to immediately approve new liquefied natural gas export terminals.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter.