Happy Earth Day!

On Earth Day, we are celebrating how America has led the world in reducing emissions—and we’ve done it while raising the standard of living, fighting poverty, and maintaining the highest environmental and labor standards in the world.  

How has this been possible? By taking advantage of America’s abundant and diverse energy resources—like natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear power—and leading the world in developing clean technologies to utilize them. 

Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading on all-of-the-above energy solutions to reverse the negative consequences of President Biden’s radical rush-to-green energy agenda, which undermines our economy and slows progress to reduce emissions. 

UNLEASHING CLEAN NATURAL GAS: 

Unleashing energy production and exporting U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to our allies is KEY to lowering costs, strengthening democracy and our geopolitical power, AND lowering emissions worldwide. President Biden’s ban on American LNG exports—a blatant political decision—jeopardizes all of this. 

The development and revolution of American natural gas has helped reduce U.S. emissions in the energy sector by 25% from 2008 to 2018. Today, America’s CO2 emissions are at the lowest levels since the 1990s. The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal called President Biden’s decision "a win for political symbolism, not the climate” and “Biden’s Worst Energy Decision.” We agree.

That’s why the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7176, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, to reverse President Biden’s ban on American LNG exports and secure American energy and environmental leadership.

EXPANDING HYDROPOWER:

Hydropower is the largest source of clean, renewable energy in the country. It’s strengthened our energy grid and lowered energy costs for families and businesses—all while reducing carbon emissions.

Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading to expand hydropower through H.R. 4045, the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act. This legislation, which was passed out of Committee and advanced to the House Floor, would reform the licensing process to protect existing hydropower resources and remove barriers to rapidly expand hydropower development. 

Despite the many benefits of hydropower, the Biden administration has colluded with extreme activists to tear down dams in the Pacific Northwest. Dams in the Columbia Snake River system provide more than one third of all the hydropower capacity in the United States. In Washinton State, hydropower accounts for 70 percent of the electricity consumed. Breaching the dams would NOT be good for the environment—removal of the dams will reduce hydropower production and make America more reliant on the world’s biggest polluter, China.

LEADING IN NUCLEAR POWER:

Nuclear energy is key for reducing emissions and providing reliable, affordable, clean energy to Americans. In 2022, Nuclear power plants—which do not emit greenhouse gases—operated at full capacity more than 92% of the time.

We’re leading on H.R. 6544, the Atomic Energy Advancement Act, to encourage and support advancements in nuclear energy by modernizing and improving the current processes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill, which passed the House with bipartisan support, will help usher in a new era of U.S. energy leadership.

DON’T MISS: E&C Republicans in the Washington Times

Rep. Buddy Carter: Conservatives are leading the clean energy expansion

Georgia is also home to the well-known Vogtle nuclear power plant, the first newly constructed nuclear reactor to be built in the United States in over three decades. That feat is made possible through American innovation and ingenuity. Once all of Vogtle’s four units are online, it will be the largest nuclear reactor in the country. And despite facing headwinds, the project marked the beginning of the return of American nuclear energy leadership a crucial aspect of our ability to meet climate and clean energy goals while providing reliable, affordable energy to Americans.

Rep. Jeff Duncan: Biden’s LNG freeze: A backward step for all humanity

America has been blessed with an abundance of energy resources. Oil and gas producers in the U.S. work daily to make energy clean, reliable, and affordable for Americans and people in the unempowered world. The Biden administration’s January decision to ban new permits for LNG export facilities will raise costs in the U.S. and prevent us from supplying our allies and those in the developing world. 

Rep. Bob Latta: Baseload capacity is key to American energy success

Instead of rushing into a ‘green’ energy transition, we should follow a pragmatic approach to an ‘energy expansion’ movement. Looking ahead, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has a crucial role to play in shaping America’s energy future. By fostering collaboration between industry stakeholders, policymakers, and environmental advocates, the committee can develop visionary solutions that balance the essentials of economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and energy security. We need to focus on bolstering the capacity and resiliency of our energy grid to accommodate a diverse array of energy sources, including renewables, natural gas, and nuclear power. 

Rep. Brett Guthrie: America must reclaim energy independence

Demand for energy is growing in the United States, and the time to reclaim our role as a leading energy producer is well overdue. Like many states, Kentucky is home to one of our best resources: proud and tested energy workers. That’s why I introduced the Nuclear for Brownfields Site Preparation Act, which I am happy to report recently passed the House as part of the Atomic Energy Advancement Act. This helps to make use of our existing infrastructure and our critical energy workforce while bolstering our grid with the increased energy we need to power our economy.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong: Energy policy should help hardworking Americans, not radical environmentalists

North Dakotans are a major contributor to increased U.S. energy production and we help the United States lead in emissions reduction across the world. Despite the narrative coming from the environmentalist left, the United States has proven that the best way to reduce emissions is to empower innovation and technological advancements, not double down on onerous regulations that do nothing to keep the air and water clean.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks: Reduce emissions, not choices

America is making great progress. In 2023 alone, the United States cut emissions by 3%, outpacing many other nations including China. Our efforts in oil and gas production have also set global standards for cleanliness, demonstrating our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship while ensuring energy security. Additionally, the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) are approximately 40% lower than the gas supplied by Russia, the second largest exporter of LNG.

Rep. August Pfluger: Unlocking America’s energy potential by reversing Biden’s LNG export ban

Opponents of LNG exports often cite environmental concerns, but the reality is that American natural gas is among the cleanest and most efficient energy sources available. Technological advancements have enabled significant reductions in emissions intensity, with producers leading the way in implementing innovative solutions to minimize environmental impact. We must continue to incentivize emissions reductions through technologies like LNG, not pit one energy source against another.

Rep. Tim Walberg: EV mandates are misguided

Not only would these misguided regulations limit consumer choice; they would also increase our reliance on China. The United States does not yet have the domestic critical mineral supply chain necessary to support the proposed transition. As China currently controls 90% of the EV supply chain in aggregate, any push to make EVs the dominant type of vehicle on the market would essentially hand China the keys to America’s auto future. [...] The United States would also be relying on minerals from China, which has an atrocious track record when it comes to environmental and labor standards. As much as we would like to decrease our nation’s emissions, greenhouse gases, and criteria pollutants are a global issue and do not stop at international borders. 

Rep. Debbie Lesko: China, with the help of the EPA, is coming for your car

As we have seen especially in recent months an over-reliance on electric vehicles is not what this country needs or even wants. In fact, the scheme to flood the industry with electric vehicles is playing right into the Chinese Communist Party’s hands and plans to establish a greater world dominance. China controls many key aspects of the supply chain, and American providers struggle to keep up with the lower prices from our adversary and rival from the other side of the world.