Rep. Bob Latta

R

Ohio – District 5
representative

Leadership

Chairman Energy

119th Congress

News & Announcements

Feb 3, 2026
Energy

Subcommittee on Energy Holds Hearing on the Oversight of FERC

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:

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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.”

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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.”

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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.”

Feb 3, 2026
Press Release

Chairman Latta Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Energy Hearing on FERC Oversight

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.”

Feb 2, 2026
Energy

Chairmen Guthrie and Latta Announce Energy Subcommittee Markup of Five Bills to Strengthen American Cybersecurity

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.

Letters

Jan 6, 2025
Press Release

Chairman Guthrie and Chairman Latta Question Energy Department’s Involvement in Biden-Harris Offshore Drilling Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Yesterday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, penned a letter to Secretary Jennifer Granholm questioning the Department of Energy’s involvement in the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to prevent new offshore oil and gas production, leading to higher prices for consumers and harming U.S. energy security. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “Closing off swaths of U.S. offshore areas to energy production, as the Biden-Harris Administration reportedly intends to do, will lead to higher energy prices for American families, the loss of American jobs, and greatly diminish our country’s energy security. As the Secretary of Energy, you have an obligation to weigh in on this matter and insist on a full review of the energy security and economic impacts before any decisions are finalized. “The United States stands at an energy crossroads, facing mounting global security threats and soaring demand for power. Instead of leading the world in energy production, we’ve allowed misguided “green” policies to hamstring our potential. It’s time to unleash American energy dominance again—the federal government must become an ally, not an obstacle, to our nation’s energy security. We look forward to your prompt response to this request, no later than January 10, 2025.” Read the story  here . BACKGROUND: This morning, the Biden Administration announced that more than 625 million square miles of coastline would be off-limits for energy production. Republican Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have continuously called on the Biden-Harris Administration to end its attack on American energy production before leaving office on January 20th. The letter requests an explanation of the DOE’s involvement in the decision and whether the White House or the Department of Interior consulted with the DOE about the plans to close off access to offshore resources. Any decision to shut down access to significant American energy resources impacts U.S. energy policy and should be reviewed by the DOE. The Biden Administration’s energy policies have continued to create major harm to America’s energy production and workforce. A unilateral ban on energy production in large swaths of the U.S. coastline will have lasting impacts on American energy production and security.

Oct 7, 2024
Letter

Chair Rodgers Leads House GOP in Demanding Answers Over FCC Fast-Tracking Democrat Mega-Donor’s Media Takeover Weeks Before Election

Soros-linked fund to acquire more than 200 local radio stations weeks before election Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) led 40 of her Republican colleagues in demanding answers from the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding her recent decision to fast-track a media deal allowing the Fund for Policy Reform, a group aligned with Democratic mega-donor George Soros, to buy over 200 radio stations just weeks before the 2024 election. With a party line vote of 3-2, the decision at the Commission level by the Democratic members of the FCC to temporarily waive the required national security review and allow excessive foreign ownership of American radio stations is deeply disturbing. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “It is highly concerning that the FCC did not follow regular order for a transaction of this magnitude. Licensees and investors need certainty that the FCC will follow its rules and procedures when approving transactions so that the broadcast industry can have the resources it needs to continue serving the public.”  BACKGROUND: Audacy, Inc., a radio broadcasting group, which owns more than 200 radio-station licenses, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.  Audacy’s filings revealed that a George Soros-backed group known as the Fund for Policy Reform had acquired at least 40 percent of Audacy’s debt.   Audacy estimated that, upon emerging from bankruptcy, 25 percent or more of its stock would be indirectly foreign owned, which triggers FCC review.   This review process requires national security agencies to review the transaction and offer any policy or national security concerns.   On September 30, 2024, the FCC released an Order granting a temporary waiver of this review process, delaying a national security review until after the bankruptcy process is complete and allowing foreign control of a significant number of radio stations across the entire United States, weeks before a national election. CLICK HERE to read Breitbart's exclusive coverage. CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Jul 25, 2024
Press Release

E&C Republicans Open Inquiry into NTIA’s Online Domain Name Registry Contracts Ahead of Renewal

Washington, D.C. — In a new letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Bob Latta (R-OH), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) requested information about the agency’s internet domain name registry agreement with Verisign, Inc. (Verisign). BACKGROUND :  The NTIA represents the United States government on the Governmental Advisory Committee of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the multi-stakeholder, not-for-profit entity that was founded in 1998 to coordinate the Internet domain name system, among other Internet management-related activities. Since 2001, Verisign has operated the .com and .net domain name registries.   Verisign manages the .com registry under two agreements—a .com Registry Agreement between ICANN and Verisign and a Cooperative Agreement between the NTIA and Verisign.  Both of these agreements are in place through November 30, 2024.  As the expiration dates of these agreements approach, some have suggested that the NTIA should reassess certain aspects of both agreements.   Under the Cooperative Agreement’s terms, it will automatically renew on November 30, 2024, unless Verisign provides written notice of non-renewal within 120 days of its expiration.   The Department of Justice has previously recommended ICANN hold a competitive bidding process for renewals of registry agreements.   The current agreement, as amended, has allowed Verisign, with ICANN’s agreement, in each of the last four years of every six-year contract period, to increase the maximum price Verisign charges for yearly registration or renewal of a .com name by up to seven percent over the maximum price it charged in the previous year.   Verisign has since instituted a price increase of the maximum amount in every year it was allowed to do so.   KEY LETTER EXCERPT :  “With both a role in advising ICANN and as a party to the Cooperative Agreement, the NTIA bears responsibility for supporting a domain name system that enables the growth of online commerce. Both individual consumers and businesses depend on responsible management of the .com system. Monopolistic elements and excessive domain name price increases stifle the ability of potential .com registrants to conduct business online.  “As such, we seek more information about the NTIA’s process in considering the renewal of both the Registry Agreement and the Cooperative Agreement.”  CLICK HERE to read the letter.