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It’s no secret the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants to replace the U.S. as a global economic and technological power. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans previewed their plans to strengthen American resolve against the CCP and ensure America, not China, wins the future. Last week, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) announced that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify on March 23, 2023, before the committee on the platform’s consumer privacy and data security practices, its harm to kids, and its ties to the CCP. AMERICA’S DANGEROUS ENERGY DEPENDENCE ON CHINA During a full committee hearing last week, Republicans raised concerns about how President Biden is making America dangerously dependent on adversaries like China for our energy. “Every energy technology and source has a role to play but we need to be able to ensure that we are not becoming entirely dependent on unreliable, intermittent energy sources that rely on Chinese supply chains,” Chair Rodgers said . “It’s time to flip the switch and unleash American energy and this committee is at the very center of securing our global leadership and making people's lives better.” “There’s no doubt that China is adding wind and solar and other renewables to their energy matrix,” Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) said . “They’re also building a heck of a lot of coal fired power plants, fossil fuel generation, mining rare Earth minerals that they need for all the technology, which is very detrimental to the environment.” “If we want viable, sustainable energy solutions that make all Americans secure, that appreciates the diversity of our landscapes, and doesn’t rely on premature, aspirational technologies or the availability of mineral supplies from foreign countries being available; then it’s time to turn the page on the current, national energy strategy, or lack thereof. Particularly since it’s one that makes us more dependent on nations that hate us,” Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH) said . “To illustrate the point, I ask my colleagues to consider a recent article in the Washington Post. It suggested senior U.S. military officials are predicting, and preparing for, war within one to five years with China—the very country we depend on for the critical minerals required for many of the ‘rush to green’ solutions.” “China is striving to secure oil, gas, and critical minerals supply around the world while defending its dominance of renewable energy supply chains,” Robert McNally, the President of Rapidan Energy Group, LLC, testified to the Committee. BOOSTING AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS TO BEAT CHINA At an Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee hearing, members and witnesses discussed how America can compete against China and win the future. “Today’s hearing focuses on the greatest threat to our country right now—China. So, it is fitting that to begin the 118th Congress we focus on this threat and discuss how to recapture and maintain our global leadership. The CCP will stop at nothing to undermine our global leadership and weaken our economy,” Subcommittee Chair Bilirakis (R-FL) said . “They have bought up our farmlands, stolen our intellectual property, and embedded themselves deep within many of our supply chains. Now they are turning their attention towards establishing the global standards for emerging technologies. The CCP has invested heavily in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies. Paired with this investment, China is creating favorable environments for their private sector companies and entrepreneurs to deploy and test these technologies.” “In 2020, the China Task Force found that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ‘has a record of using official government resources and companies with CCP affiliations to compromise the data of people around the world’ and that the United States and its allies need to join the ‘effort to secure data from the CCP’s surveillance state and other malign entities.’ These concerns are especially prevalent in China itself, where advanced technology is used to track and monitor their citizens with few protections,” Brandon Pugh, Policy Director and Resident Senior Fellow of the R Street Institute, told the Subcommittee . “Similar concerns are echoed by federal government leaders like Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray, who previously said ‘if you are an American adult, it is more likely than not that China has stolen your personal data.’ He made even more pointed comments recently, saying that ‘China’s vast hacking program is the world’s largest, and they have stolen more Americans’ personal and business data than every other nation combined.’” CHINA'S DANGEROUS STONEWALLING During an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing, Republican members noted how China has put the world in danger of future outbreaks because of that country’s refusal to cooperate with investigations into the origins of COVID-19. “Existing pandemic preparedness plans have mentioned the need for investigating the origins of pandemics but have neither spelled out the challenges nor the specifics for how to conduct an effective probe,” Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) said . “One of the challenges laid out in the (GAO) report is the need for investigators to have more access to samples from early cases in order to be effective in determining the pandemic’s origin. We must address this issue since some government organizations, including the Government of the Chinese Communist Party, have a history of withholding this type of information.” BEATING CHINA IN NEXT-GEN TECHNOLOGY Members of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee examined how China is seeking to undermine us in a range of advanced communications technologies, including next-gen satellite technology. “We must also ensure continued American leadership in advanced communications services. In order to do that, our regulations must foster an environment of innovation and certainty,” Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) said . “As countries like China seek to dominate the technologies of the future, we must make the United States an attractive place to invest in cutting edge developments that align with American values and guarantee the availability of trusted satellite communications. “Countries like China seek to undermine us in a range of advanced communications technologies, including next-gen satellite technology. We can’t afford to let this happen,” Chair Rodgers said . “The Chinese Communist Party will do whatever it takes to embed their authoritarianism into next generation technologies like these. This is a country that spies on its citizens and asserts strict government control over businesses and the economy. They want to replace the U.S. as the economic and technological power so they can spread their values and vision of the future. We need to make sure these technologies are developed in an ecosystem that promotes America’s values, not China’s.” “China’s accelerating space prowess and reach presents both economic and national security challenges. China’s expanding space sector creates a competitive alternative in the global marketplace, oftentimes with attractive incentives and financing, that will steadily chip away at the market share enjoyed by U.S. companies,” Kari Bingen, Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies said. “As highlighted in a 2021 European market assessment, ‘[W]hile the most advanced commercial space companies clearly remain Western companies, China is now leading the world in terms of number of commercial space companies being established.’ On the national security front, the U.S. military’s battlefield advantage has long rested on our superior technology. But that is at risk as Beijing seeks to close the gap in our technology advantage.”

Republicans are hard at work on solutions to slow the fentanyl crisis that is wreaking havoc on our communities. With more than 71,000 Americans dying from a fentanyl or fentanyl-related substance in 2021, most of which has been smuggled in from Mexico, President Biden cannot continue our porous southern border. In a roundtable last week , E&C Republicans heard powerful testimony from the parents of a child lost to the epidemic, a former drug enforcement agent, and an emergency medicine physician. House Energy and Commerce Republicans held a roundtable Wednesday on the fentanyl crisis in a potential preview of the committee’s focus on curbing the epidemic, Ben reports. The roundtable with a former DEA official and an emergency medicine doctor included emotional testimony from Ray and Deb Cullen, who lost their 22-year-old son, Zachary, to fentanyl poisoning last year. Deb Cullen called for the crisis to be handled like Covid-19. Paul Knierim, former assistant administrator at DEA, warned of the fake pills’ danger. Lawmakers also pointed to issues at the southern border as a contributing factor. […] The committee’s Republicans are expected to focus on addressing fentanyl’s role in the opioid crisis in the new Congress. That includes pushing tech companies like Snapchat and TikTok to crack down on fentanyl sales on their platform. Read more . Republicans plan to introduce legislation that would classify fentanyl as a Schedule I drug, which would designate it as an illicit drug with a high risk for abuse and would increase punishment for those who sell it illegally. Rep. Morgan Griffith, Virginia Republican, said he will reintroduce his signature bill, the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would permanently place fentanyl into the Schedule I category for drugs. Mr. Griffith said he also wants to end the stigma around fentanyl that stereotypes its victims as irresponsible addicts. Keep reading . OAN’s Daniel Baldwin: “The GOP hosted a roundtable, specifically the Energy and Commerce Committee, yesterday to discuss the worsening fentanyl crisis with a focus on illegal drug smuggling across our southern border. The president just had a visit down to the southern border last weekend... he didn't mention fentanyl.” Click here to watch full clip . Joyce, a physician, drew broad agreement from GOP leaders at the table that the Schedule I temporary designation of fentanyl-related substances should be made permanent. They felt greater penalties were needed when traffickers were caught to act as a deterrent to criminal activity. “It should be a priority,” said Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Florida. “This is poison. It’s a weapon of mass destruction. […] Committee members agreed to investigate that issue further.   Rep. Mike Burgess, R-Texas, said Democrats in control of the federal government for the last two years had blocked GOP efforts to make Schedule I status permanent. He said Democrats appeared more concerned about creating more potential penalties for offenders than protecting youth and other vulnerable populations. “I don’t know why they step away from this instead of moving forward,” said Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, said it was virtually impossible to stop the movement of fentanyl without securing the southern border, something the Biden administration refused to do. Keep reading . “Congressman John Joyce led a roundtable discussion yesterday concerning the ongoing fentanyl crisis. For Americans between the ages of 18 and 48, the crisis has become the leading cause of death.” Watch here . “This problem touches every district in our country, and it’s critical that we on the Energy and Commerce Committee work to find a solution,” said Joyce. “For over a year, Republicans have been trying to permanently ban fentanyl related substances by labeling them as schedule one narcotics. This designation will help give law enforcement the tools and resources they need to stop the drug traffickers that are killing American citizens without remorse.” Keep reading . “This problem touches every district in our country, and it’s critical that we on the Energy and Commerce Committee work to find a solution,” Congressman Joyce said. “For over a year, Republicans have been trying to permanently ban fentanyl related substances by labeling them as schedule one narcotics. This designation will help give law enforcement the tools and resources they need to stop the drug traffickers that are killing American citizens without remorse.” The roundtable was the first step in the legislative process as lawmakers look to pass legislation to permanently label fentanyl analogs as Schedule 1 narcotics under the Controlled Substances Act. Keep reading . Joyce was joined by the parents of a man from Shippensburg, who died recently from ingesting fentanyl, as he chaired a roundtable discussion among Republicans on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce about fentanyl. Keep reading .

President Biden wants to control every aspect of our lives—from what kind of cars we can drive, how we can heat our homes, and now how we’re allowed to cook food for our families. Last week, it was reported that the Biden administration is looking to ban gas stoves from American homes across the country. This is just the latest in a long line of power grabs by the radical Left. It's not about public safety, but rather about telling the American people the federal government knows what’s best. Nearly 35% of homes in the U.S. – more than 40 million Americans – use a natural gas stove. That’s why Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and 86 of her House Republican colleagues sent a letter to President Biden demanding the administration reverse any attempts to ban gas stoves. Chair Rodgers also sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) echoing these concerns.  Highlights and excerpts from the Fox Business exclusive coverage on the letter to President Biden : Furious lawmakers are calling on President Biden to cease any efforts by his administration to ban natural gas stoves inside Americans' homes. Republicans on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce sent a letter to the president Friday writing in "strong opposition" to reported efforts by regulators to ban natural gas appliances. "This kind of intrusion into the homes of Americans by the federal government as a way of forcing rush-to-green, liberal policies is the ‘nanny state’ at its worst," the Republicans wrote. "Banning natural gas stoves is not about public safety – it is another example of government control; like other policies we have seen from your administration, to tell Americans what kinds of cars they can drive, how they heat their homes, and how to live their lives." The Biden administration caused an uproar over gas stoves earlier this week after a commissioner on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggested regulators were considering banning the appliance due to health and safety concerns. From E&E News : House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) is already making plans to bring the issue before her committee. “I’m quite concerned,” Rodgers told E&E News. “I think we need to dig into this more and probably bring them in and ask some questions.” CLICK HERE to read Chair Rodgers’ January 11th statement on President Biden’s plan to ban gas stoves. CLICK HERE to read House Republicans’ January 13th letter to President Biden. CLICK HERE to read Chair Rodgers’ January 13th letter to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric.

Washington, D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), along with Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH), Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Morgan Griffith (R-VA) sent letters to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and the U.S. Department of Justice on doing more to crack down on illegal fentanyl sales and prevent criminals from exploiting these platforms to sell this deadly poison. Excerpts and highlights from the letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew:   “We write with significant concerns regarding the use of TikTok by drug dealers to sell illicit and deadly substances, especially to children and minors.  We have read numerous reports and heard personal stories from parents who have tragically lost their children to fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances from pills purchased from drug dealers on TikTok. The loss of these young lives shows not enough is being done to crack down on this illegal activity and prevent criminals from exploiting your platform to sell this deadly poison.     “Our country’s communities and families are facing an unprecedented crisis due to the increasingly widespread presence of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances.  In 2021, nearly 108,000 people died of drug overdoses; 71,000 of which were from fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances. Between FY2020 and FY2021, more than 10,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl were seized at our southern border, enough to kill every American seven times over. Law enforcement in communities across the country are seizing record amounts of illicit fentanyl pills, including a case earlier this summer where two Washington State men were arrested in California with 1 million pills containing fentanyl.    “The widespread availability and sale of these illicit pills containing fentanyl has led to record levels of overdose deaths. Every overdose is a tragedy and more must be done to facilitate access to treatment for those suffering from a substance use disorder (SUD).  However, many of these overdose deaths are unrelated to SUDs and have occurred in individuals taking a single pill they thought was prescription medication but was instead counterfeit and laced with fentanyl.  According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), these fake pills are often manufactured to resemble ‘real prescription opioid medications such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).’  “Tragically, in these instances, traditional methods to combat opioid addiction and overdoses, such as SUD treatment or distribution of fentanyl test strips, are not effective.  More must be done to combat this epidemic of tragic overdoses, and TikTok must do more to combat the illegal activity on its platform. A consistent theme of this crisis is the purchasing of pills believed to be something else by teenagers and youth using TikTok’s platform. TikTok must do more to combat the use of its platform for illegal activity, especially drug dealers peddling this dangerous poison.”   CLICK HERE  to read the full letter to TikTok. CLICK HERE  to read the full letter to Snapchat. CLICK HERE  to read the full letter to Instagram.  CLICK HERE  to read the full letter to the U.S. Department of Justice.

We cannot let Europe ’s energy crisis become America’s f uture. Europe is in crisis. BREAKING: The Wall Street Journal: Russia Halts Nord Stream Gas Pipeline, Ratcheting Up Pressure on Europe Bloomberg: Europe Gas Settles Just Shy of Record as Energy Misery Piles Up Reuters: Russia cuts gas flows further as Europe urges energy saving Axios: Europe's energy outlook darkens The Guardian: Spain puts limits on air conditioning and heating to save energy Bloomberg: European Energy Prices Soar on Summer Crisis, Winter Gloom CNBC: 3 charts show Europe’s unprecedented natural gas crisis Axios: In Europe, energy crisis drives growing cutbacks Why is this happening? It’s because of Europe’s “rush-to-green” policy agenda to quickly shut down reliable energy sources (like coal, natural gas, and nuclear) and replace them with less reliable sources like wind and solar, which are dependent on the weather and Chinese supply chains. This reality on the other side of the Atlantic — blackouts, scarcity, and crippling dependence on foreign regimes like Russia — could be America’s future under the Democrats’ scheme to “transition” away from our most reliable energy sources. The proof: The price at the gas pump reached a historical record high and natural gas spiked to a 14-year high. The American people have been feeling the pain of higher costs and more inflation since President Biden’s took office. Since day one, he has shut down American energy, blocked pipelines, and hurt our ability to modernize our infrastructure and secure our supply chains. The Democrats’ agenda will make this crisis worse. For example, rather than help lower costs today for hardworking Americans and their families, their massive tax and spending spree : Makes energy more expensive by increasing costs to produce American energy, including a first-ever tax on natural gas. Directs more tax breaks to the wealthy to buy electric vehicles and home appliances. Wastes billions on Green New Deal programs and a rushed transition to more expensive and less reliable solar and wind energy. Fails to include meaningful permitting reforms and regulatory reforms that would simultaneously bolster good-paying American jobs , secure our supply chains, and reduce America’s dependence on Chin a. Creates a ‘Solyndra on Steroids’ with Department of Energy loan subsidies and more than $250 billion in new loan guarantee authorities ripe for waste, fraud, and abuse. Unlike the Democrats’ actions to force an unreliable and unaffordable energy transition like Europe, Energy and Commerce Republicans support increasing the production of American energy to grow our economy, secure our energy needs, lower costs, and keep the lights on. America must embrace a wide range of domestic energy resources, including coal, oil, natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear power. Below, don’t miss what Energy and Commerce Republicans have been up to in and around their districts and over the past several weeks. Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) toured the Lower Granite Dam, which produces state-of-the-art hydropower for the region. Leader Rodgers saw the fish ladders, which help salmon to travel up-river, and screens which prevent juveniles from getting caught in turbines. These ladders and screens improve fish survival and passing rates while still allowing the dam to power homes. Leader Rodgers also toured the Columbia Generating Station. This station generates nuclear power, one of America’s most reliable and clean energy sources. American nuclear power plants produce about 790 billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year. That is enough to power more than 70 million homes. After a meeting with energy leaders at the University of Washington’s Spokane campus, Leader Rodgers went to Avista Edge’s Innovation lab where she saw first-hand the work they were doing to improve grid reliability during the summer. Their work with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories is helping keep people safe by preventing brownouts and blackouts. Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) led nine other representatives in a tour of South Carolina’s “all-of-the-above” energy approach embraced by Republicans. The members saw how nuclear power, hydropower, and innovation are necessary for clean and secure American energy. “I was honored to lead nine of my colleagues on an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy tour to demonstrate our leadership and critical role in energy innovation and production,” Rep. Duncan wrote in his op-ed for the Washington Times . “It’s one thing to hear about nuclear energy production and all-of-the-above energy solutions, but it’s another thing to experience this firsthand at some of the nation’s leading facilities.” Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) spoke on the House Floor about the disastrous policies Democrats are forcing on the American people. Rep. Johnson spoke out against the natural gas tax, which will drive up the price of natural gas even more on Americans. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) also pushed for an all-of-the-above approach to energy during travels in his district. “As we grapple with energy affordability and our responsibilities to the future, we need to encourage energy innovation and pursue an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach. New and emerging technologies will allow the United States to better harness the existing swath of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources that are available.” Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) participated in a roundtable discussion with representatives from Ohio’s energy industry where he focused on the challenges Ohioans are facing with high energy prices, supply chain problems, and burdensome regulations. “Americans are paying more at the pump and on their electric and natural gas bills because of record high inflation and policies that are hostile to American energy. Folks here in Ohio are demanding solutions.” Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) also participated in an energy roundtable event with fellow members of Congress. Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans have also been highlighting the harmful results of inflation from President Biden and Democrats’ reckless tax and spending agenda. CLICK HERE to read about E&C Republican’s Securing Cleaner American Energy Agenda.

Faces of the Fentanyl Crisis Sunday, August 21 st , is National Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Day. There’s a fentanyl crisis killing more people than ever and plaguing communities across America – and it’s being fueled by President Biden and his administration’s failure to secure the southern border.   National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day was established to remember those lost to the fentanyl crisis, including teens and young adults like Devin , Hayley, Daniel, Alex, Zach, and Spencer. Their families – and thousands of families across the nation – are speaking out and raising awareness for how just one pill can kill. They don’t want anyone else to experience the pain of losing a child to fentanyl poisoning.   TO SAVE LIVES, WE MUST SECURE THE BORDER AND HALT FENTANYL   Someone in the United States dies every 7.5 minutes from fentanyl poisoning. Illicit fentanyl overdoses are now the number one cause of death among adults 18-45. More than COVID-19, cancer, heart disease, and all other accidents. Illicit fentanyl overdose deaths among teens accounted for 77% of adolescent overdose deaths in 2021. Despite an overdose crisis that is killing more than 100,000 people a year, with illicit fentanyl poisonings causing the majority of overdose deaths, President Biden and his administration have failed to secure the southern border.   From just June 2022 to July 2022 , fentanyl seizures increased over 200%, bringing the total amount of poisonous illicit fentanyl seized this fiscal year to OVER 10,000 pounds.    The Biden administration knows its open border agenda is harmful to the security and the safety of communities across the country. Since President Biden took office, there have been over 3.1 million illegal border crossings. It’s created a humanitarian crisis, a national security crisis, and a public health crisis. This isn’t what Americans want. Americans want a secure border and safer communities, and they want leadership that reflects these priorities.    That’s why E&C Leaders Morgan Griffith and Bob Latta are leading on the HALT Fentanyl Act. It would permanently give law enforcement the tools they need to stop fentanyl-related substances from crossing the border, plaguing our communities, and poisoning our children. Democrats have blocked it TWICE on the House Floor.   We're continuing to push for answers and urge President Biden to secure our southern border to stop the scourge of illegal drugs, especially weapon-grade poisons like illicit fentanyl. Don't miss these highlights from E&C Republicans ?  

93 Republicans Warn Biden that OPEC+, Including Russia, Wins if He Bans American Oil Exports Washington, D.C. — House Republicans are demanding President Bidenabandon his anti-American energy agenda, including any plans to cut off America’s access to global energy markets by imposing a ban on oil exports. In a new letter, Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and 91 Republican representatives tell President Biden that banning America’s crude oil and petroleum product exports will make the self-inflicted energy crisis even worse, by hurting American energy workers, increasing gas prices, and further emboldening America’s adversaries, especially Russia.  Recent studies show the benefits of the U.S. exporting crude oil, as well as the harmful impacts of banning the exporting of U.S. petroleum products.  The following are excerpts from House Republicans letter to President Biden:  AN EXPORT BAN HURTS OUR ECONOMY AND SECURITY: “Banning oil exports would destroy American jobs and lead to higher energy prices for the hardworking people of this country already suffering under record high inflation. Furthermore, banning American oil exports would punish our allies in Europe and Asia who desperately seek to reduce their reliance on OPEC and Russia for oil. The only beneficiary of a ban on American oil exports would be Russia, which would gain geopolitical leverage over our allies and additional revenue to finance the unjustified war on Ukraine.” WHY LIFTING THE EXPORT BAN PUT AMERICA FIRST: “In 2015, when Congress passed bipartisan legislation to repeal 1970’s-era restrictions on crude oil exports, it found that ‘the United States upholds a commitment to free trade and open markets and has consistently opposed attempts by other nations to restrict the free flow of energy; and, the United States should remove all restrictions on the export of crude oil, which will provide domestic economic benefits, enhanced energy security, and flexibility in foreign diplomacy.’ Before your Administration took office, the United States emerged as the world’s leading energy producer and a net energy exporter, and American oil production was wisely treated as an arsenal of energy security. Prior to your Administration, and as a direct result of Congress lifting the crude oil export ban, OPEC and Russian power over world oil markets had been substantially diminished, and America’s trading partners had a more stable and reliable supplier for crude oil.” BOTTOM LINE: “ A ban on American crude oil or petroleum product exports would be detrimental to our national security and economy.” Don’t miss this exclusive coverage from FoxNews.com : CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are examining the role of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations behind increasing risks of dangerous blackouts, which jeopardizes Americans’ safety and security. Americans are suffering enough from record high and unaffordable costs created by President Biden’s energy crisis. They deserve and need every assurance their air conditioning will come on this summer and heat will come on in the winter to keep their families safe. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and other grid authorities say these blackouts are likely this summer and warn of increasing risks in the future. These threats come as the Biden administration continues its rush-to-green agenda to shut down American fossil energy and leave the nation dependent upon intermittent and unreliable sources that strain the electrical grid. In the letter from the members to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, the members demand to know how the EPA’s regulatory actions are affecting America’s both immediate and long-term grid reliability. In particular, they question the Biden administration’s radical “EGU Strategy” in its climate agenda and how that will affect America’s energy reliability. This oversight letter follows letters sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Department of Energy (DOE) on June 6, 2022, where the members called on the agencies to “assure reliability in the bulk power system and the affordable, reliable delivery of electricity.” EXCERPT FROM LETTER TO EPA: “We believe the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should also account for its plans and actions to help us assess factors behind both the immediate and the long-term risks to electric reliability across the nation. “In recent months, you announced a suite of EPA actions to target fossil fueled electric generating units, an ‘EGU Strategy,’ to drive the Biden Administrations climate agenda. This ‘EGU strategy’ includes many major new regulations now under development or proposed – the Interstate Transport Rule, Regional Haze, Risk and Technology Review for the Mercury Air Toxics Rule, a new set of greenhouse gas performance standards, effluent limitations, and a legacy coal combustion residue rule—all of which directly affect power plants that are essential for reliable electric operations. “We are concerned that EPA actions threaten to accelerate fossil generation retirements, at the very same time electric system operators report growing shortfalls in such baseload capacity will accelerate blackout risks.” The members make several requests of Administrator Regan, including the following: Describe what specific actions you are taking or are prepared to take to address energy or electricity emergencies this summer in the bulk power system. List all waivers or other emergency actions you are considering or have taken over the past two years in connection with electricity reliability. List all regulatory actions you are considering or have taken over the past two years to alleviate electricity reliability risks. List and provide a description of all interactions with the Department of Energy concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. List and provide a description of all interactions with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. List and provide a description of all interactions with states concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. List and provide a description of all interactions with the Independent System Operators, and states concerning potential and proposed rulemakings and enforcement activity that may affect the reliable delivery of electricity. In developing its reported “EGU Strategy” to “marry a range of authorities” to regulate the power sector, has EPA evaluated the cumulative impact of the strategy in accelerating plant closures? If so, please provide us with these assessments. How will the June 30 Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency affect your “EGU Strategy” to regulate sources in the power sector? Regarding the proposed Transport Rule [Federal Implementation Plan], what specific statutory provisions authorize EPA to impose a federal plan that effectively overrides the electric power sector planning authorities in 26 states? CLICK HERE to read the letter to Administrator Regan. CLICK HERE to read Fox News' exclusive report on the letter.

The consequences of President Biden’s attack on American energy production and jobs continues. Among the latest? It’s a North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) assessment warning that “more than half the nation will be at elevated risk of power outages this summer." As Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said: “People are suffering enough from record high and unaffordable costs created by President Biden’s energy crisis. They deserve and need every assurance their lights and air conditioning will come on this summer to keep themselves and their families safe.” That’s why every Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) demanding specific plans for how the Biden administration plans to prepare for and prevent dangerous and life-threatening blackouts. READ this exclusive Fox News coverage: President Biden’s rush-to-green scheme is hurting America’s energy reliability. As the article points out, “the power outage warnings from NERC come as the Biden administration makes a heavy push toward a green energy transition.” Just yesterday, President Biden used an emergency power, the Defense Production Act, to embolden the Chinese Communist Party. Here’s what Energy and Commerce Republican Leader McMorris Rodgers had to say about Biden’s pro-China, anti-American energy actions: “President Biden is undermining the ongoing investigation by the Department of Commerce into allegations that Chinese solar companies are circumventing lawfully imposed trade penalties on Chinese solar panels. The Biden administration’s announcement amounts to a two-year amnesty for the Chinese Communist Party for any violations of our trade laws relating to solar panel imports. This action will help China, and harm American solar panel manufacturers and American workers. “ The Biden Administration’s expansive use of emergency authorities under the DPA is less about strengthening national security and more about subsidizing an anti-American energy resource agenda, that will undermine the affordable, reliable energy we need for a secure future. “America needs to flip the switch on American energy and secure our energy resources. Rather than emboldening China and shutting down American resources, President Biden should be prioritizing America’s vast energy and critical mineral resources to lower prices and secure our supply chains. ”