Chair Rodgers: "We are Leading Today for American Energy to Build a Prosperous Future"

Statement

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today's Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Subcommittee markup of nine pieces of legislation.
Excerpts and highlights below:
UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY, LOWERING COSTS, AND SECURING SUPPLY CHAINS

"This morning the Subcommittee will take up nine bills to continue our work to unleash American energy, lower energy costs, and strengthen supply chains.
"These are the key elements for ensuring reliable, secure, and affordable delivery of energy to all Americans, to their homes, to their businesses, the grocery stores, and everywhere in between.

"From gas to hydro to nuclear, these energy and climate solutions will help ensure we are good stewards of the environment, that we unlock a new era of American technological leadership and innovation, remove regulatory barriers, and put energy security back in the center of energy policy."

REPUBLICAN SOLUTIONS TO AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE, AND SECURE ENERGY

"For example, Dr. Bucshon's bill, will require the Department of Energy to identify the critical energy resources that are vulnerable to supply disruptions.
"This would provide essential information to make decisions concerning threats to our supply chains.
"And those threats are present and growing.
"China has been termed the OPEC of green energy materials.

"Yet, China's overall share of the energy minerals processing actually surpasses OPEC's 34% share of oil markets--40% for copper, 70% for cobalt and lithium, about 90% for rare earth minerals.

"We must reverse this dangerous trend and secure our energy materials supplies.

"We also must examine the role of petrochemical refiners for energy security -- and affordable transportation fuels. This is the goal of Mr. Latta's legislation.
"More predictable permitting is necessary to expand American energy supplies and to operate the facilities to process advance materials.

"Several bills this morning would help grow energy markets, improve the permitting coordination with our North American energy partners, and across states.
"Opening markets and providing access to these markets with pipelines and export terminals will increase the supplies that make energy and power more affordable.

"I want to thank Mr. Johnson, Mr. Armstrong, Dr. Burgess, and Mr. Guthrie for their leadership on solutions that update our export policies and assure more coordinated and predictable permitting for energy infrastructure.
"I commend the work by Chair Duncan and Mrs. Lesko for developing their solutions on producing and transporting natural gas -- a key energy source that is also low in emissions.
"And very importantly, I look forward to discussing Mr. Walberg's bipartisan bill to protect energy systems from hazards, particularly cyberthreats.
"We cannot achieve the full benefits of an American energy expansion without reforms like these.

"While President Biden is focused on a "command and control' transition to unreliable and weather-dependent energy, we are leading today for American energy to build a prosperous future, a future that is more secure, clean, and affordable.

"This is a solid start to our energy agenda.
"Of course, there is more to do."
WINNING THE FUTURE WITH NUCLEAR

"We must confront our serious nuclear fuel security vulnerabilities, which are made worse, by outdated policies that allowed our nuclear fuel infrastructure to atrophy to unacceptable levels.
"It is one year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Yet more than 20% of nuclear fuels for American reactors continue to come from Russia.

"This amounted to over $850 million for the Russian regime last year alone. It is a major supply threat, and security threat.

"Congress must work to ban Russian imports and send the market signal needed to restore American nuclear fuel infrastructure.

"That is the purpose of my bill, H.R. 1042, the Reduce Russian Uranium Imports Act.

"Thank you, Ranking Member Pallone, for working with me to bring to this bill to future markup. We must work together to make sure America is not reliant on Russia."

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