Energy, Climate, & Grid Security

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Vice Chair Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) introduced several bills to protect Americans’ rights and prevent the Biden administration bureaucrats from banning natural gas stoves nationwide:  “President Biden and the radical left want to use the federal government’s power to dictate what kind of car you can drive, how you can heat your home and business, and now how you’re allowed to cook food for your family. Forcing people to switch to expensive alternatives will only further increase costs on hardworking families and disproportionately harm the most vulnerable communities. Natural gas is a safe, reliable and affordable energy source for millions of Americans. I commend the efforts of my colleagues Reps. Armstrong and Lesko to end President Biden’s efforts to ban gas stoves in American households and ensure people have access to affordable and reliable energy," said Chair Rodgers   “Inflation is hurting everyone. We have a crisis at our Southern Border. North Dakotans are worried about being able to provide for their families. What is the Biden administration focused on? Controlling the kind of stove Americans use. This is further incompetence from an administration that seems more interested in dictating every aspect of our lives than solving real problems. Our bill makes it clear that Americans should decide if a gas stove is right for their families, not the federal government,” said Congressman Armstrong.   “The Biden Administration’s extreme proposed regulation that will ban nearly every gas stove on the market is just another example of out-of-touch bureaucrats trying to control Americans’ everyday lives,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “I am proud to join Congressman Armstrong in introducing these important bills to protect Americans’ consumer choice and stop this egregious power-grab.”  CLICK HERE to read H.R. 1640, the Save Our Gas Stoves Act.  CLICK HERE to read H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) sent a letter yesterday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Acting Chairman and Commissioners demanding to know how they plan to incorporate guidance from the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in a way that does not jeopardize American energy security.   Excerpts and highlights from the letter:  “On January 9, 2023, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued interim guidance entitled ‘National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change.’  “The stated goal of this guidance is to ‘assist Federal agencies in their consideration of the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change when evaluating proposed major Federal actions in accordance with NEPA...’ CEQ’s interim guidance took effect immediately for relevant agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or ‘Commission’). This vague guidance raises many concerns regarding how the Commission will follow its authorizing statutes in the issuance of permits for both natural gas and electric transmission infrastructure.   “While we understand this interim guidance is subject to change until the rule is finalized, we write to reiterate that NEPA, and especially the CEQ guidance, does not supplant the Commission’s core statutes for siting or permitting natural gas or electric transmission projects. Commissioner Christie pointed out in his dissent to the interim policy statement, entitled ‘Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Natural Gas Infrastructure Project Reviews,’ that the Commission’s own regulations implementing NEPA reflect that very fact, ‘the Commission will comply with the regulations of the CEQ except where those regulations are inconsistent with the statutory requirements of the Commission.’ As such, we request that each of you answer the below questions no later than March 30, 2023.  Is it your opinion that the CEQ guidance requires the Commission to quantify upstream and downstream emissions from natural gas projects? If so, how will the Commission apply this in its regulations?  Is the CEQ guidance consistent with facilitating the orderly development of plentiful supplies of natural gas at reasonable prices, as is the intent of the Natural Gas Act? If so, please elaborate. If not, how can the Commission legally implement the guidance?  Does the Commission intend to revise and reissue its natural gas policy statements (Docket Nos. PL21-3-000 and PL18-1-000) in order to incorporate this CEQ guidance? Please explain.  Does the Commission plan to undertake an analysis or solicit public feedback on how implementing this CEQ guidance could affect the price or availability of natural gas and electricity, or the effect on the economy as a whole?”  CLICK HERE to read the full letter.  NOTE: Chairs Rodgers and Duncan sent a letter to FERC on March 3, 2023, demanding they explain why the commission has abandoned its core mission to help deliver abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for Americans. The letter specifically referenced examples when FERC has appeared to make decisions beyond its statutory authority in order to advance President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ rush-to-green agenda. CLICK HERE to read more. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcing its “Good Neighbor” final rule, which compromises our grid reliability and threatens American energy security.  “The EPA’s so called ‘Good Neighbor’ plan is nothing more than the next phase in its effort to force power plants to shutter, leaving Americans without a viable energy supply to replace it. People across the country are being forced to give up basic necessities, like food and medicine, in order to afford skyrocketing energy bills. The last thing they need is a federal agency taking steps that drive reliable, affordable energy suppliers out of business. This will further increase costs and heighten the risk of blackouts. It is time for the EPA to reverse its expensive, dangerous effort to force an energy transition on Americans, jeopardize the reliability of our power grid, and shut down American energy.”  Note: To lower costs and ensure reliable energy, Chair Rodgers and Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading on H.R. 1 . It boosts energy production, lifts regulatory burdens for the construction of more energy infrastructure, cuts China out of our critical materials supply chains, and lowers costs across the board.

Washington, D.C. — In response to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s recent pro-China comments , House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans, led by Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH) sent a letter urging Granholm’s immediate retraction of the remarks and demanding that she make plans to appear before the Committee as soon as possible to account for them.   Excerpts and highlights from the letter to Secretary Granholm:  “ We are deeply troubled by your recent public comments praising China for its supposed efforts to address climate change risks, as they raise serious questions about your judgment and priorities as Secretary of Energy.     “China poses one of the greatest economic, military, and geopolitical threats to the United States, while continuing to be one of the world’s worst polluters.  As the Secretary of Energy, your core responsibilities involve national security, particularly maintaining and certifying the reliability of the nation’s nuclear deterrent and protecting our most sensitive technological secrets from theft by our chief adversaries, Russia and China.    “At the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, this past week, you stated in an interview that China has been ‘very sensitive’ about addressing climate risks, that ‘we can all learn from what China is doing,’ and that you find China’s clean energy investments ‘encouraging.’  These are alarming comments that, at best, reflect an uninformed, unserious perspective on the goals and intentions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its abysmal human rights and environmental record.   “We write to request that you immediately retract these pro-China statements and that you make plans to appear before the Committee as soon as possible to account for these statements and explain your priorities as Secretary of Energy.   “Instead of acclaiming China and the CCP and amplifying its propaganda, let’s join together in exposing the dangers of our growing dependence upon China for energy, transportation, and technology systems. Let’s join together to safeguard American technology from the CCP’s relentless efforts to steal and exploit our innovations for its military and economic agenda.  “We are deeply concerned that the rush-to-green agenda of this administration, which you are leading to implement, is putting the United States on a perilous path in which the energy that powers our homes, businesses, and livelihoods will run straight through China with critical minerals supply chains. Plus, this administration’s constant promotion of mandates and subsidies to electrify our transportation systems will result in American mobility controlled with components and materials from China. Meanwhile, the CCP continues to build and utilize coal-fired power plants at home and abroad to further spread its influence, while increasing its carbon emissions.  “Russia’s attack of Ukraine exposed the energy vulnerabilities of Europe. Much of Europe had abandoned its firm power sources like nuclear energy and coal-fired power plants, refused to take advantage of its natural gas resources after succumbing to Russian anti-fracking propaganda, and instead become reliant upon natural gas from Russia.    “We fear that this administration—with its anti-fossil fuel policies—is marching the United States toward the same position of energy vulnerability, only with China holding the keys to America’s energy security. Comments like the ones you made this past week are only advantageous to the CCP’s agenda, which aims to dominate the United States on all fronts.  “China has been termed the OPEC of green energy materials. Yet, China’s overall share of the energy minerals processing actually surpasses OPEC’s 34% share of oil markets—40% for copper, 70% for cobalt and lithium, about 90% for rare earth minerals. We must reverse this dangerous trend and secure our energy materials supplies.    “Our staff have been in discussions with your staff about scheduling your appearance before the Committee to justify DOE’s budget and discuss the Department’s policies. In light of your recent comments, we expect you to make yourself available to the Committee to testify immediately.”  CLICK HERE to read the full letter.  

American People Deserve Full Accounting of Funds   Washington, D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), along with the chairs of the subcommittee of jurisdiction, today wrote letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), requesting a full accounting of how they’ve spent taxpayer dollars. KEY LETTER EXCERPT : “Over the past two years, under one-party, Democratic rule, Congress and the Biden administration have spent trillions of dollars across the federal government. Beginning with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and most recently with the so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),  Democrats have funneled an excessive amount of taxpayer dollars to advance their radical, progressive agenda and to benefit their political allies. The American people deserve a full, transparent, and regular accounting of the funds  that have been spent, where the funds have gone, who has benefited, and how much remains.”  The Chairs specifically requested funding information from: ARPA, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS and Science Act, and the IRA, including but not limited to:  1. The total amount of funding from each Act that has been obligated to date. 2. A list of each financial award funded, in part or in full, by these laws, including the following information for each award: a.    All recipients for which funding has been expended. b.    All recipients for which funding has been obligated. c.     The amount of funding that has been obligated for each recipient. d.    A description of the project funded. e.    The type of award (i.e., grant, loan, etc.). 3. The number, job title, compensation, and duties of any employees, contractors, or consultants who have been hired or engaged using the funding, in whole or in part. 4. An accounting of the funds that have not yet been obligated. CLICK HERE  to read the letter from Chairs Rodgers and Griffith and Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) to DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm regarding more the than $100 billion above annual appropriations and the more than 60 new programs created with little Congressional scrutiny of long-term taxpayer risks.  CLICK HERE  to read the letter from Chairs Rodgers and Griffith and Health Subcommittee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra requesting information related to:  The IRA’s Implementation Fund designed to carry out the law’s drug pricing provisions  The Provider Relief Fund has had $178 billion appropriated into it  Vaccine Education Funding, which includes more than a billion dollars  Funding appropriated COVID-19 Vaccines, Therapeutics, Testing, and Supplies, which the Biden administration rerouted billions to other programs—like housing illegal immigrants at the border—before asking Congress for additional resources  CLICK HERE   to read the letter from Chairs Rodgers and Griffith and Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel requesting information related to:  $98 million to implement the Broadband DATA Act, as well as the status of the broadband map development   $450 million for the COVID-19 telehealth program $3.2 billion for the Emergency Broadband Benefit   $7.17 billion for the Emergency Connectivity Fund program  $14.2 billion for the Affordable Broadband Benefit  CLICK HERE   to read the letter from Chairs Rodgers, Griffith and Latta to NTIA Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Alan Davidson requesting information related to: $300 million for the Broadband Infrastructure Program  $3 billion for tribal broadband deployment  $285 million for the Connecting Minority Communities Program $42.45 billion for the Broadband, Equity, Accessibility, and Deployment (BEAD) Program $2.75 billion for digital equity grants $1 billion for middle mile infrastructure

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Bob Latta (R-OH), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH), and Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Jeff Duncan (R-SC) wrote to the heads of the Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of Commerce laying out expectations for intergovernmental cooperation regarding oversight. As Chair Rodgers said in the full committee markup of Energy and Commerce’s Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 118th Congress, “We have a responsibility to conduct oversight to get answers on behalf of those we serve and to ensure accountability so the government is responsive to the American people.” The members outline the below seven principles for each agency or department to comply with Congressional requests and provide answers the American people deserve. 1. For all requests or questions, please reproduce the requests or questions presented in a written letter with the department or agency response. 2. In the spirit of comity and inter-branch accommodation, your department or agency should endeavor to cooperate as much as possible with committee oversight requests. If your department or agency has determined it will not voluntarily cooperate with the requests, please provide electronic written notice within two business days specifying which requests you are declining to cooperate with and the stated reasons for voluntary noncooperation. 3. Your department or agency should make a determination on whether certain requests cannot be fulfilled as presented. Provide electronic written notice within one business week of receipt of the request about such determinations, stating the reasons why. If there is an alternative approach that could address the Committee’s request, then such an alternative approach should be suggested in the interests of comity and inter-branch accommodation. 4. If the department or agency needs clarification about a Committee request, your staff should make good faith efforts to contact Committee staff for assistance as soon as possible. 5. We expect your department or agency to provide a written response to our oversight requests within two weeks of receipt of the letter. If the department or agency needs additional time to respond to Committee requests, your staff should make good faith efforts to contact Committee staff for assistance as soon as possible. 6. If your department or agency has determined that certain requested documents cannot be produced pursuant to a privilege or other legal basis, your department or agency should submit an index of the withheld documents and the privilege asserted within two business weeks of receipt of the request letter. 7. If your department has determined that a requested witness cannot be made available pursuant to a privilege or other legal basis, your department or agency should submit in writing an explanation of the privilege or other legal basis asserted within two business weeks of receipt of the request letter. CLICK HERE to view the letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. CLICK HERE to view the letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. CLICK HERE to view the letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan. CLICK HERE to view the letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.