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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of five bills.

Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Today the Energy Subcommittee will mark up five bills that will update and enhance programs to help ensure the physical and cyber security of our nation’s electric grid.

“These bills, two of which we have moved through the Committee in past Congresses with strong bi-partisan support, also strengthen the Department of Energy’s ability to carry out its energy emergency functions.

“At our legislative hearing three weeks ago, witnesses emphasized the importance of robust collaboration between industry, states, and the federal government to ensure secure energy systems.

“These bills will strengthen this work by enhancing DOE’s existing energy sector authorities and by providing new tools to ensure fuller industry involvement.

“We consider these bills today against the backdrop of growing threats to our energy systems—including advanced threats from our adversaries.

“As noted in recent hearings, Communist China remains the most active and persistent threat to American critical infrastructure networks. Its proxies have pre-positioned attack capabilities in American infrastructure, to be used during a major crisis or conflict.

“Addressing these and related threats is difficult and can be resource intensive.

“The interconnected nature of our energy systems requires constant intelligence sharing, clear visibility into threat landscapes, and sufficient resources to fill gaps in security protections, particularly for rural and small utility service territories.

“The bills we will consider today take important steps to accomplish this and more.

“H.R. 7305, the Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026, led by the gentlelady from Florida’s fourteenth congressional district and the gentleman from Colorado’s eighth congressional district, authorizes a program that improves information sharing and coordination on threat analyses that impact the power sector.

“A key ingredient of this program involves two-way sharing of information between grid operators and the intelligence community to their mutual benefit: improving the ability to assess risks and threats and then how to act upon that information.

“H.R. 7258, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, led by the gentlelady from Florida’s fifteenth congressional district and the gentleman from Ohio’s first congressional district, represents long-time bipartisan policy of this Committee to strengthen the ability of DOE to carry out its energy sector security and emergency functions.

“The bill requires the energy emergency and security functions at DOE are led by an Assistant Secretary, confirmed by the Senate. This will ensure the Department has the focused and accountable leadership that will strengthen intergovernmental and energy sector collaboration.

“H.R. 7266, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, led by the gentlelady from Iowa’s first congressional district and the gentlelady from Virginia’s fourth congressional district, provides targeted funding and technical assistance so small utilities, electric co-operatives, and public power agencies have the resources to secure their critical electric systems—including systems serving military installations.

“Of course, as we heard during our legislative hearing, States are critical to energy security. They have unique visibility into the interconnected relationships, risks and vulnerabilities related to the energy systems within their borders.

“H.R. 7257, the SECURE Grid Act, which I sponsored with my colleague from California’s seventh congressional district, builds upon the existing State Energy Security Plan framework to expand the visibility of potential threats to local electric distribution and supply chain networks.

“Finally, as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the energy sector, DOE must have visibility over the whole energy sector, which as we heard in the legislative hearing is comprised of increasingly interconnected systems.

“Because of this, DOE actively works not only with the power sector, but also the oil and gas sector to prepare and respond appropriately to emergencies.

“DOE’s technical capabilities and central role in Federal energy coordination make it well positioned to improve the complex layers of communication necessary for energy sector security.

“H.R. 7272, the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, led by the Subcommittee Vice Chairman from Texas’s fourteenth congressional district and the gentlelady from Michigan’s sixth congressional district, does just this.

“It builds on DOE’s leadership to establish a non-regulatory program to improve the coordination and other assistance across the energy sector, states, and the federal government with regard to the security and resilience of pipelines and other facilities that deliver the nation’s oil and gas—and are necessary for reliable energy and power.

“All told, these bills advance the important bipartisan work of this Subcommittee to protect critical energy infrastructure.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a markup of five bills.

“Today the Energy Subcommittee marked up five bills that will update and enhance programs to help ensure the physical and cyber security of our nation’s energy infrastructure, including our electric grid,” said Chairman Latta. “These bills, two of which we have moved through the Committee in past Congresses with strong bipartisan support, also strengthen the Department of Energy’s ability to carry out its energy emergency functions.”

Legislative Vote Summary:

• H.R. 7258, Energy Emergency Leadership Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 7266, Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, as amended, by a voice vote.
• H.R. 7257, Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid (SECURE Grid) Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 7272, Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 7305, Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.

Watch the full markup here.

Below are key excerpts from today’s markup:

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) on H.R. 7266, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act: “Cyber-attacks targeting critical infrastructure have become more sophisticated and frequent. This bill ensures that rural electric cooperatives and small utilities have access to advanced cybersecurity tools, technical assistance, and grant funding to protect, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. In Iowa’s First District, rural electric cooperatives serve ratepayers across our 20 counties. These cooperatives faced the same sophisticated cyber threats as major metropolitan systems but often lack the resources to defend against them. This bill ensures our local utilities have the tools they need to protect the grid that powers our homes, farms, and small businesses.”

Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) on H.R. 7272, the Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act: “H.R. 7272 would improve how the Department of Energy works with others to ensure the security and resilience of pipelines, as well as LNG facilities that our energy sector depends upon for the reliable supply of fuels and electricity. This legislation focuses on the Department of Energy’s vast technical capabilities to develop a program that improves the coordination and technical support needed to ensure timely, efficient, and effective work to secure our energy systems and respond to disruptions.”

Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08) on H.R. 7305, the Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026: “It’s essential that we reauthorize ETAC. Chinese Communist Party-backed hacker groups like Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon have already embedded themselves in networks within critical infrastructure, and they’re operating at times undetected. Small towns and rural areas quite often don’t have the resources and the infrastructure to prevent attacks like this and are left with massive disruptions and costs when an attack occurs. These hackers are lying in wait, ready to disrupt key energy systems that are crucial to daily life, including domestic production and military readiness. The preventative work that ETAC does protects communities and our national security from attacks like these.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a hearing titled Oversight of FERC: Advancing Affordable and Reliable Energy for All Americans.

“Now, as our nation stands at the precipice of substantial change in the global economy, it is imperative for FERC to remain steadfastly focused on their core mission in order to fuel technological advancements and stabilize the bulk power system to keep the lights on,” said Chairman Latta. “Winning the AI race, reshoring manufacturing jobs, and lowering energy costs are not mutually exclusive. When done properly, research continues to show that the growth of large energy users like data centers and manufacturing facilities can help stabilize the grid and make electricity more affordable.

Watch the full hearing here.

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11): “How is FERC working with states that block pipelines? And how are you balancing the affordability mission when you have states like New York that actually kill pipeline projects?” Chairman Swett: “That is a 100-billion-dollar question. Effectively, under the regime that Congress has created, and the Clean Water Act, states have the ability to veto a project if they do not give a certification, and that is a problem that FERC simply cannot work around. If Congress saw fit to change that, we would be happy and ready to implement any directives.” Mr. Pfluger: “Is it your belief that having those pipelines in the capacity to deliver that natural gas lowers prices?” Chairman Swett: “Well, I think as you very wisely stated at the beginning of your comments, the proof is in the pudding. The fact that areas that don’t have enough gas are paying maybe 300 times what they should, as you said, is unacceptable. That is not a just and reasonable rate for Americans.”

Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12): “When opponents claim that LNG exports raise domestic prices, they ignore the factors that actually increase natural gas costs for consumers, such as the lack of pipeline capacity during the storm. Regions with pipelines to deliver natural gas had significantly lower prices than areas with constrained capacity. In fact, on January 26, 2026, the Monday after Winter Storm Fern, Northeast winter gas prices were up 2.4 times higher than the Appalachia supply. FERC has taken important actions to address constrained pipeline capacity, like repealing Order 871 and examining cost thresholds for blanket approvals. Can you discuss what other action FERC is considering taking to expedite the construction of needed energy infrastructure projects? And how will these actions help deliver affordable, reliable energy to our constituents?” Chairman Swett: “Thank you for the question. I also am very concerned about Northeast prices, and one thing that was really shocking for me coming out of the storm was that, in the Northeast during Fern, 40 percent of generation came from fuel oil or diesel, and that’s simply because we don’t have enough gas infrastructure to bring gas to New England. So, I fully agree with you. That’s why we are looking to, wholesale across the board, take a hard look at our permitting actions. And when it comes to pipelines in particular, we are trying to streamline our NEPA process.”

Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07): “Chairman Swett, the Seven County [Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County] Supreme Court decision was remarkable in a way, because it was won unanimously. So, in a body like ours that oftentimes has several different ways to view any particular issue, when you see a unanimous Supreme Court decision, it kind of raises your eyebrows a little bit. The Court held that courts should—afford substantial deference to an agency as to the scope and contents of an environmental impact statement. How has FERC changed its NEPA practice in response to the Seven County decision? And to piggyback on top of that, what is left to do to come in line with that decision?” Chairman Swett: “Thankfully, the Seven County decision allowed FERC, in my opinion, to realign our emissions analyses with our statutory responsibility as a primarily economic regulator charged with encouraging the development and plentiful supply of natural gas at reasonable prices, per Congress’s instruction. So, what that means, when the rubber hits the road, is now we no longer analyze the indirect emissions from upstream production or downstream combustion.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Oversight of FERC: Advancing Affordable and Reliable Energy for All Americans.

Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

_“Good morning and welcome to today’s Energy subcommittee hearing with all five Commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. _

“We welcome Chairman Swett and Commissioner LaCerte for their first appearance before our subcommittee, and welcome back Commissioners Rosner, See, and Chang.

_“FERC was established in 1970 by Congress as an economic regulator to ensure that electricity, natural gas, and oil is delivered to the American people safely, securely, and reasonably priced. _

“Now, as our nation stands at the precipice of substantial change in the global economy, it is imperative for FERC to remain steadfastly focused on their core mission in order to fuel technological advancements and stabilize the bulk power system to keep the lights on.

“It is no secret that our grid is under extreme stress. The head of North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, called the reliability crisis a “five alarm fire.”

“Average utility bills rose by 11 percent in 2025 after increasing by 29 percent in the four years prior, and substantially higher across our nation’s bluest states.

“Grid operators are flashing red alarms about the mismatch between growing demands and dwindling baseload resources.

“In fact, the Department of Energy found that the current pace of baseload retirements and load growth raise the risk of blackouts by 100 times by 2030.

“And across the country, a growing number of Americans are concerned about the potential for data center development to raise their utility bills.

“How did we get here?

“Decades of poor policy decisions from federal and state governments steered utilities away from reliability-centric investments and towards one intended to meet renewable energy goals.

“Even while fuel and generation costs have plummeted since the shale revolution, utility spending has been buoyed by costly investments on transmission and distribution to connect variable remote resources like wind and solar.

“Across the country, retail rate filing cases at state commissions have highlighted several reasons for upward price pressures – transmission development for state energy policies, interest rates, wildfire and disaster mitigation, among others.

“In our wholesale market states, higher prices should act as a signal for new entrants.

“Unfortunately, permitting delays, excessive litigation, and blue state policies to prevent pipeline construction are preventing market forces from responding appropriately.

“The current situation is untenable and unsustainable.

“It is important to remind everyone about what’s at stake in the AI race.

“Ask yourself, do you want your family’s personal, banking, or health information stored in Communist China?

“But winning the AI race, reshoring manufacturing jobs, and lowering costs are not mutually exclusive.

“When done properly, research continues to show that the growth of large energy users like data centers and manufacturing facilities can help stabilize the grid and make electricity more affordable.

“To achieve this reality, we need FERC to remain laser focused on its core mission as an economic regulator.

“Along with the Trump administration, the Commission is righting the ship towards a more secure and prosperous future for all Americans.

“Throughout 2025, FERC returned to a methodical approach to permitting interstate natural gas pipelines and LNG facilities.

“They are working to streamline the process for licensing hydropower facilities to maintain and grow vital baseload resources.

“The Commission has also made substantial progress on addressing jurisdictional lines between federal and state authority over co-location and flexible power arrangements.

“FERC, along with the Administration and states, are ensuring that costs associated with the development of data centers are not falling on the backs of ratepayers.

“And importantly, the Commission has continued working through the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) collaborative to establish meaningful, productive, and effective dialogue between federal and state partners to tackle challenges facing our nation’s energy systems.

“While substantial progress has been made to reaffirm American energy dominance, more work remains.

“Today’s hearing is a pivotal opportunity for the committee to better understand how FERC can best serve the interests of the American people.

“I look forward to today’s discussion and yield back.”

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 subcommittee markup of five bills.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Energy markup of five bills.

DATE: Wednesday, February 4, 2026

TIME: 2:00 PM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Items to be considered:

• H.R. 7258, Energy Emergency Leadership Act (Reps. Lee-FL and Landsman)
• H.R. 7266, Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act (Reps. Miller-Meeks and McClellan)
• H.R. 7257, Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid (SECURE Grid) Act (Reps. Latta and Matsui)
• H.R. 7272, Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act (Reps. Weber and Dingell)
• H.R. 7305, Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026 (Reps. Castor and Evans)

This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The markup 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 Calvin Huggins with the Committee staff at Calvin.Huggins1@mail.house.gov. If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding three Subcommittee Hearings and one Subcommittee Markup. Read more below.

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy is holding a hearing to discuss oversight of FERC.

• DATE: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is holding a hearing on how fraudsters are draining state and federal governments through schemes in our government-run health programs.

• DATE: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
• TIME: 10:30 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2360 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a legislative hearing on FirstNet reauthorization.

• DATE: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy will hold a markup of five bills.

• DATE: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
• TIME: 2:00 PM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation’s 2025 Hatch Center Policy Review featured an essay by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, titled Dominance, Deployment, and Safeguards: The Path for American AI Leadership.

In the essay, Chairman Guthrie warns that America risks falling behind China in artificial intelligence and outlines a strategy to strengthen U.S. innovation, secure supply chains, and expand global leadership.

In Case You Missed It:

“One of the defining traits of the American experiment has been a commitment to exploring the unknown. From the early explorers who first landed in the Americas to the modern technology industry that has placed a powerful computer in the pocket of every American, we are a nation of trailblazers.

“What makes this moment unique is the pending threat to America’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) technology by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP)–backed companies, many of which have developed advanced technologies nearly at parity with that of American AI companies. Knowing that the AI revolution will define economic growth and global competitiveness for the next century, the United States must choose to innovate.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher. China already deploys next-generation technologies to advance many of the regime’s most sinister goals focused on enhancing the power of its Orwellian surveillance state utilizing advanced computing. Even more concerning to the American public is the threat of an adversary’s technology stack serving as the building blocks for future advancements or as a strategic chokehold. For example, we have unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way through Chinese bottlenecks related to telecommunications equipment and critical mineral mining and processing.

“Strengthening our supply chains is an area where Republicans and Democrats largely agree. Even the Biden Administration took dramatic action to address national security risks from autonomous and connected vehicles to prevent cars and trucks built by CCP-aligned manufacturers from operating in the United States.

“President Trump has also been crystal clear: American supply chains can no longer rely on our adversaries’ goodwill. China will use any economic and technological leverage over Americans and the products we use if given the opportunity. The ongoing threat of China doesn’t just call for an agenda that restricts the aggression of the PRC, but also an agenda that promotes American innovation at home and abroad.

“At the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, we have three pillars that guide our approach to AI: dominance, deployment, and safeguards.

“For the United States to be dominant in AI, we must be the ones to actually develop and deploy these new technologies at scale. When I talk with business leaders, they tell me we have the brainpower and the capital necessary to compete. However, we still need to increase our energy production to meet rising electricity demand, and we need to ensure our regulatory environment is structured to meet this moment.

“China has chosen the path of top-down government control to drive its AI industry. While this strategy affords the CCP some advantages, the American model of bottom-up, free-market capitalism has long been the engine of innovation for the world, and it is more efficient in the long run.

“Unfortunately, our allies across the Atlantic have taken the opposite approach and made the mistake of racing to heavily regulate technologies, slowing innovation as a result. Onerous, conflicting, and confusing regulations are suffocating European technology companies and effectively grounding the AI industry there before it can even get off the ground.

“And to those who recommend America follow that path, I would remind you: We are not in a race with Europe to regulate. We are in a race with China to innovate.

“A patchwork of state laws here at home would have the same effect, stalling AI development and deployment and providing our adversaries with opportunity to advance, excluding Americans from the benefits of a new technological revolution founded on fundamentally Western values. It is vitally important for American technology companies to be the ones setting global technology standards for the next generation of tools and systems.

“President Trump’s AI Action Plan includes a range of policies to put us back on track to export a full American stack of AI products and services to our allies. Prioritizing the export of American products and services helps embed American-driven technical standards in global markets, expand our economic influence, and strengthen our national security.

“But maintaining global leadership cannot occur without deploying energy and broadband infrastructure at scale. By consuming enormous amounts of electricity to power vast networks of computers, AI data centers effectively convert energy into intelligence, and at a scale we’ve never seen before.

“The U.S. is blessed with an abundant supply of natural resources that can be leveraged to generate the baseload, dispatchable electricity necessary to power data centers, broader electrification efforts, and advanced manufacturing. But we need the right approach at the federal level to seize this moment, and building the energy infrastructure to power the future is the first step.

“But we also need to look at the broad application of AI technologies and the promise of benefits for consumers that span our entire economy. This year the Committee has already held hearings across our wide jurisdiction demonstrating the ways AI can improve the everyday lives of Americans.

“For example, AI technologies can help to limit the frequency and duration of network blackouts, meaning better coverage in cases of emergencies or cyberattacks. After an expansive operation to cripple telecommunications in New York City was linked to China this fall, this could mean the difference between life and death.

“Autonomous vehicles are on track to have the same effect. The National Safety Council estimated that Advanced Driver Assistance Systems could save hundreds of thousands of lives in the coming decades. Even setting aside the radical improvements in safety, AI-supported vehicles will offer elderly Americans and people with disabilities new options for independence.

“In health care, AI can expedite the repetitive, administrative processes that slow treatment and research, freeing providers to focus on their core skills treating patients. Supporting—not replacing—health care professionals has long been a critical priority for Congress, and artificial intelligence may represent a generational opportunity to advance those efforts.

“You may see a theme emerging: AI can make the world safer and workers more productive. But with that goal in mind, we also recognize the need for narrowly tailored protections to address new and unexpected harms. The TAKE IT DOWN Act—which was signed into law earlier this year—is a perfect example of Congress’s ability to provide guardrails where existing law does not suffice. Bipartisan majorities in Congress worked closely with the President and First Lady Melania Trump to target the spread of sexually exploitative, non-consensual AI images, filling gaps in the law related to emerging technologies.

“With AI advancements continuing to permeate the digital economy, American families deserve tools as sophisticated as the platforms their kids are using. Modern challenges require modern protections, which is why the Energy and Commerce Committee is also working to make the internet safer for kids as AI technologies increasingly shape online experiences.

“Similarly, Americans of all ages should be entitled to commonsense data privacy protections, especially in the era of large language models that use vast amounts of data to train AI algorithms. Passing one national, comprehensive data privacy bill—so your privacy protections do not change crossing state lines—would be a critical step toward restoring trust online, without unduly hurting American entrepreneurs.

“Artificial intelligence is already helping raise the tide so every American can benefit. Continuing that momentum requires commitments and intentional decisions by the leaders of industry, government, and civil society. Challenges will inevitably arise, but that has never stopped our nation from innovating, creating, and growing before.

“The rest of this century will either belong to the United States and its allies or China. If we cede the technological edge, we risk losing our ability to expand our influence abroad and will provide a platform for China to expand its authoritarian state and stifle human freedom.

“The strong U.S. economy and our workers are the greatest assets we have. As long as we choose to embrace those strengths instead of holding ourselves back, America will continue to succeed. Our leadership has undoubtedly made the world stronger and more prosperous in recent decades, and we don’t plan on stopping now.”

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. – 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.”