Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Full Committee markup of 20 bills.

Excerpts and highlights below:

PROSPERITY OVER ENERGY POVERTY

“We will consider twenty bills from three of our subcommittees—to help secure our energy future and global competitive edge.

“In 15 of the bills, we are leading to ensure reliable, secure, clean, and affordable delivery of energy.

“Energy is foundational to everything.

“For centuries it has driven human progress and development and it is why America has done more to lift people out of poverty and raise the standard of living than anywhere else.

“According to data from 2017, 3.7 billion people are living in energy poverty. That is half the world.

“They have a 10-year lower life expectancy—35 percent fewer years of education—and many don’t have electricity at all.

“Our goal today is to celebrate how our abundant energy resources have unleashed prosperity and invited people from across the globe to come to America to achieve their hopes and dreams.

“We’ve accomplished this as a leader in reducing emissions and with the highest environmental and labor standards in the world.

“We cannot afford to move backwards with a reckless command-and-control so-called climate agenda that forces people to pay more and go without reliable energy.”

HIGH ENERGY COSTS HURT AMERICANS

“Unfortunately, that is what we see right now and what President Biden has pursued since his first day in office.

“From the gas station to the grocery store, his war on American energy is making life harder and more expensive for the hardworking people of this country.

“Families on average have been forced to pay $10,000 more over the last two years for everyday goods and services.

“More than a third of households say they have forgone food and medicine in order to pay their energy bills.

“It shouldn’t be this way.”

BECOMING DANGEROUSLY RELIANT ON CHINA

“President Biden is also weakening our security and making us dangerously reliant on China’s supply chains that are more harmful to the environment and use slave labor.

“China’s overall share of energy minerals processing surpasses OPEC’s share of oil markets in many key areas—from 40% to 100% of key materials and processing.

“DOE has noted, that China’s control of key materials in renewable energy is quote ‘across the board.’

“To win the future, we cannot allow our energy security to be surrendered the CCP.”

REPUBLICAN SOLUTIONS TO AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE AND SECURE ENERGY

“Our energy and climate solutions before us today are just the beginning of our work to unleash American energy, lower costs, and secure our supply chains.

“We want to lift barriers to expanding our energy supplies, remove red tape over exportation and importation of LNG, and build more pipelines with our North American allies and across the states.

“We also want to repeal taxes that will harm communities, shut down production, and raise prices across the entire economy.

“We are leading to prevent bans on key energy technologies and stop the administration from closing off markets that would increase prices even more.

“All of this will help open critical markets for energy to boost production and help drive down costs.”

STRENGTHENING CRITICAL MATERIAL SUPPLY CHAINS

“Other bills focus on securing the critical energy materials to be less reliant on Chinese supply chains.

“That includes bolstering the Department of Energy’s responsibilities to assess, identify, and address supply chain vulnerabilities.

“Further, several bills today reduce regulatory red tape for onshoring critical minerals processing and refining facilities without compromising environmental protections.

“That’s how we beat China and advance prosperity for America.”

PROMOTING AMERICAN LEADERSHIP AND BEATING CHINA

“In addition to these energy and environment bills, we are also taking action today on several solutions from our Innovation, Data, and Commerce subcommittee.

“We know the CCP wants to replace us as a global economic and technological leader.

“We must protect American data from CCP's malicious behaviors and make sure the technologies of tomorrow are developed with our values.

“That is why we are leading on five solutions that will bolster our competitive edge and help secure people’s personal information from the CCP.

“Overall, I look forward to our mark up today and I thank all my colleagues for their hard work.

“We have a long list of bills to work through that I know will improve the lives of those we serve and secure a better future here at home.”