▶ 0:17:12The subcommittee will come to order. and the chair recognizes herself for an opening statement. Welcome to today's subcommittee markup of 13 bills to increase energy production and restore energy leadership. Over the last few months, the subcommittee has held several hearings to examine the issues holding back our ability to meet projected energy demand growth over the next decade.
▶ 0:17:36At our first hearing of Congress, the subcommittee heard from national security experts and energy workers to hear the importance of American energy for the for the world's future. We have also heard directly from the power sector to discuss challenges meeting current demand as well as the ability to scale up my operations to meet projected demand growth.
▶ 0:17:58Additionally, the subcommittee had executives from each of the nation's RTO's and ISOs to hear a boots on the ground perspective from grid operators. Finally, the subcommittee held a legislative hearing on the uh the suit of the sweet of the legis the suit of the legislation from the department of energy and federal energy regulatory commission as well as representatives from impacted industries.
▶ 0:18:26At each of the subcommitteees hearings, I asked each of our witnesses if we need more or less energy moving forward. Every single one agreed that we need much more energy to power our nation's economic and technological future. I believe the legislation we're considering today will help address the challenges our energy and power sectors face as they work to provide abundant, reliable, and affordable energy to consumers.
▶ 0:18:52The subcommittee will consider several pieces of legislation aimed at addressing threats to our bulk power system and resource adequacy. Gentleman from Ohio's 12th district's reliable power act would amend the power federal power act to require fur to review the federal regulations that reliability.
▶ 0:19:11Additionally, the subcommittee will consider the gentleman from Ohio's 12th district's grid power act which would direct fur to require the transmission providers prioritize and expedite interconnection queue requests for dispatchable generation projects. The subcommittee will also consider the gentleman from Virginia's ninth district's power plant reliability act which will allow affected parties to contest the retirement of generation resources.
▶ 0:19:39Over the next 10 years, 115 gawatts of dispatchable generation has been announced to be retired across the United States while demand is estimated to increase by upwards of 151 gigawatts. To ensure reliability and affordability is imperative that our avenues to keep generation online are available.
▶ 0:20:02This includes hydro power which is why the subcommittee will consider the bipartisan legislation led by the gentle lady from Washington's 8th district to increase to increase transparency from FK regarding the status of relicensing application for hydropower dams.
▶ 0:20:17Following up on President Trump's reinvigorating America's beautiful clean co-industry executive order, the gentleman from Ohio's sixth district's national co- council reestablishment act will codify the national co- council which will focus on keeping base load generation online.
▶ 0:20:34the gentleman from New York's 23rd district state energy accountability act and the gentleman from Colorado's 8th district state planning for reliability and affordability act both uh amenda to require require states to consider requirements to evaluate reliability and long-term resource planning. We will also consider legislation aimed at assessing and securing electric and critical mineral supply chains which will play a vital role in the ability to build out infrastructure.
▶ 0:21:04Creating an environment that promotes the building of infrastructure is also imperative and as energy demand grows. The subcommittee will consider the improving inter agency coordination for review of natural gas pipelines act, the unlocking our domestic LG potential act of 2025, the refiner act and the promoting crossborder energy infrastructure act which will improve federal permitting process to unlock development of muchneeded oil, gas and prochemical
▶ 0:21:35I'd hope to work with our Democratic colleagues on more of this legislation, including my electric supply chain bill, which all members should want to support given the challenges today to getting our key components for our grid. Unfortunately, at this point, we've been able to find as find as much bipartisan as I'd hoped, but we'll continue conversations with my colleagues on the other side, including with the gentle lady from Florida's 14th district and ranking member on her interconnection queue legislation.
▶ 0:22:05As energy demand is projected to grow to staggering levels, we must enact policies that increase supply, infrastructure, and reliability in the energy sector while lowering costs for American families and businesses. The bills before us today do just that, and I urge all my colleagues to support them. And with this, I yield back. And I now recognize the gentle lady from Florida, the ranking member of the subcommittee for five minutes for her opening statement. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, colleagues.
▶ 0:22:34You know, America is enjoying a clean energy manufacturing boom. 400,000 new jobs in nuclear, solar, wind, batteries, geothermals, geothermal vehicles, and component parts being made in America. Uh thanks in large part to the bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021 and our historic clean energy law passed in 2022.
▶ 0:22:56We've been connecting cleaner, cheaper energy to the grid, reshoring jobs, boosting our competitiveness, including our automakers and workers across industries, countering China. Old manufacturing sites in energy communities have found new life.
▶ 0:23:13But in what can only be described as self- sabotage, in just a few short months, the new administration and Republicans in Congress have turned America's manufacturing boom into a slump. 62,000 jobs lost. They have taken an arbitrary chainsaw to energy and conservation projects that save consumers money. and they have added the higher cost of tariffs and chaos on top of it all.
▶ 0:23:43All of it is driving electric bills and inflation higher. This package of bills the committee will consider today will make it worse and the GOP will own the energy price spikes in the months ahead. Who will benefit uh while consumers are paying more? oil, gas, coal corporations, and their lobbyists.
▶ 0:24:09This comes on the heels of the big ugly bill passed by House Republicans that rips away health care from 16 million Americans, adds $2.4 trillion to the debt to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. But the higher electric bills and the job losses uh driven by that big ugly bill haven't gotten as much attention. Uh but the early analysis of the billionaire boondoggle bill paints a very grim picture. Mr.
▶ 0:24:37Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to enter six independent analysis into the record, each of which show that the bill will result in higher electricity costs and less cheap energy. Without objection. So order. So let's dive into this. Uh I have a poster to show you. Total US electricity demand is forecast to increase by 15.8% or 128 gawatts in the next four years.
▶ 0:25:07By gutting the clean energy tax credits, Republicans have charted a course to decrease new electricity capacity additions by 302 gawatt by 2035, which is enough to power 227 million homes. So if Republicans have their way, we will not build the energy to power US leadership in artificial intelligence or advanced manufacturing and those sectors will abroad.
▶ 0:25:35My second poster, not only will we have less electricity, it will also be more expensive costs passed directly on to American families. The Republican big Republicans big ugly bill will increase average household energy cost by $230 to $400 per year.
▶ 0:25:56So Republicans haven't just turn their backs on the fastest growing, cleanest, and cheapest sources of energy, but they are now actively sabotaging homegrown energy, jobs, and family budgets. I know it's June, but for Republicans, every day is Valentine's Day when it comes to big oil and gas. And this package of bills we'll consider today is a prime example. Some of the bills are unnecessary.
▶ 0:26:23Some are heavy-handed mandates that threaten innovation and competition in energy markets. They will add billions of dollars in costs already to rising energy prices while doing nothing to safeguard reliability. DOE already has the authority to delay power plant closures to maintain reliability. Um, so this we look forward to a healthy debate today. And Mr. Chairman, I do appreciate you including uh Congresswoman Shrier's Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act.
▶ 0:26:53That's an important effort to provide Congress with more insight on a significant source of clean firm power. However, I'm disappointed that Republicans are unwilling to consider lowhanging fruit the expediting gener generator interconnection procedures act. That's a mouthful in today's markup despite the expert testimony we heard uh in our April hearing about how it could bring all types of generators online quickly.
▶ 0:27:20You know, businesses large and small across the United States want to manufacture, build, and use cheap, clean energy, but Republicans are taking those opportunities away from them. Uh instead of raising electric bills and exacerbating the job slump, I urge GOP colleagues to get back to working together to advance policies that deliver more affordable energy to our neighbors back home with a modern, reliable grid.
▶ 0:27:47real solutions that meet the magnitude of the challenges we face today. Thank you and I yield back. Thank you. The gentle lady yields back and the chair now recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky, the chairman of the full committee for five minutes for an opening statement. Thank you, Chairman Lata and the members of this subcommittee for this important work to advance American leadership through energy abundance.
▶ 0:28:07Today, the Energy Subcommittee is considering 13 pieces of legislation that are critical to fueling American energy production, securing US leadership in the next generation industries, empowering our nation's electric grid with reliable and affordable energy. Throughout our history, the prosperity and security of the United States has always been linked to reliable and affordable energy. Today's world is no different.
▶ 0:28:33We're on the precipice of dramatic change that could be shaped by the outcome of our race with China for AI leadership and efforts to restore job creating industries. All of which require a staggering increase in our energy supplies. And there's no time to waste. This committee has spent considerable time this Congress already studying how AI has the potential to change everyday lives, raise standards of living, improve health outcomes, and lift people out of poverty.
▶ 0:29:00But if we fail to win the race to AI domination to an author authoritarian regime like China, we risk seating the next generation technologies to a communist regime that does not share our democratic values. Energy security and supply is key to developing the AI infrastructure we need to be globally competitive.
▶ 0:29:21With that in mind, the energy subcommittee has been hard at work to reverse the course from the Biden Harris administration's energy transition to chart a path towards energy abundance. If we want to see what energy transitions look like, we can look no further than our allies in Europe who are struggling to keep the lights on because of the aggressive policy decisions of left-leaning governments. These same countries rely continue to rely on Russian natural gas instead of cleaner burning and affordable American LG.
▶ 0:29:52Meanwhile, manufacturing energyintensive industries are fleeing the European continent in search of better investment opportunities. We cannot follow suit. Only this past Memorial Day weekend, we are reminded of our own ongoing electric reliability crisis and constrain energy supplies as a southern portion of MYso was forced to initiate an emergency load shedding event to prevent widespread outages due to higher thanex expected demand.
▶ 0:30:20During the 119th Congress, this committee has held several hearings with grid operators, engineers, and experts in the energy industry that are sounding the alarm of our states state of our national energy system. We were told that policies designed to subsidize renewable technologies are res resulting in a concerning imbalance with base load power coming offline, which is undermining stability of the electric system.
▶ 0:30:47We heard from witnesses that not all electrons are a one for one substitute and that we should not be taking base load power plants offline without sufficient and comparable replacements. I would remind my colleagues if AI models could run on just wind and solar power, they would be doing so already. to fuel American energy abundance.
▶ 0:31:06The bills before us today address key impediments to an efficient and cost effective infrastructure development while identifying opportunities to expand our refining capacity, improve our hydropower permitting process, and secure our energy supply chains.
▶ 0:31:22In addition, the bills before us today will ensure timely interconnection of dispatchable resources and rightly place the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FK in the Federal Authority on reliability to prevent a future claim power plan Importantly, legislation before us today will bolster our energy production and advance our national security interest by reversing the Biden administration LNG
▶ 0:31:52export ban and streamlining streamlining permitting for natural gas pipelines to fuel investment in energyintensive industries while lowering costs for hardworking All together, the bills before our subcommittee today take an important step to advancing President Trump's energy dominance agenda and cement our nation's role as the global leader in energy production. I appreciate you holding this mark up, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you.
▶ 0:32:21The gentleman yields back. The chair now recognizes five minutes. The gentleman from New Jersey, the ranking member of the full committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Over the last month, between their big ugly tax bill and the bills we're marking up today, Trump and the Republicans have unveiled their energy strategy that will make energy less affordable for families, undermine clean energy, and allow big oil and gas to build polluting infrastructure wherever they want, regardless of the consequences.
▶ 0:32:51Independent modeling has found that the big ugly GOP tax bill will increase household power bills by more than $400 per year. And that's on top of the annual $5,000 that President Trump's chaotic global trade war will cost American families. The GOP ugly bill will destroy any progress we've made towards revitalizing energy manufacturing and supporting innovation in America.
▶ 0:33:16And I simply do not understand how at a time when power demand is increasing, Republicans doing everything they can to cut off new sources of electricity. At the same time, they're insisting on increasing demand for natural gas while also trying to make the supply of domestic gas go down because more of it will be sent overseas. It's a recipe for higher prices and disaster for the American people. And yet, Republicans are dead set on doubling down on their plan to increase prices.
▶ 0:33:43Several of the bills that are before us today will do just that, either by forcing families to pay for uneconomic coal plants to stay online or by allowing unlimited exports of LNG that will drive up heating and cooking costs. The subcommittee heard testimony at the end of April explicitly stating that these bills would explode costs for Americans across the country, but that's all fine under the Republican energy agenda of driving up energy costs on American families.
▶ 0:34:10Now, there are other bills today that blatantly discriminate against clean sources of energy. These bills are proof that Republicans have never been for all of the above. The only energy that they care about as fossil fuels, and every other source of energy, no matter how useful it is, must be left behind. Republicans seem also content with giving the Department of Energy more and more work with several of the bills today without acknowledging or trying to understand the impact of the serious staffing reductions the Trump administration is indiscriminately and chaotically implemented.
▶ 0:34:41Rather than working with us to get answers from the administration on how DOE plans to complete what it's already tasked with, Republicans are intent to ask Dwey to do even more with less. And some of the bills before us were already passed by House Republicans as part of the GOP big ugly tax bill. Republicans are clearly marking them up today again because they don't believe they're going to survive the so-called bird bath in the Senate. That's why we are revisiting them again today.
▶ 0:35:08In fact, Republicans already had to knock two of these permitting provisions out of their bills before it even passed the House. So, to be clear, Republicans are so desperate to sell out the public interest for natural gas pipelines and LG facilities that they'll create an entire pay-to-play permitting regime out of thin air. Republicans want to allow pipeline developers and LG exporters to pay government agencies upwards of $10 million to acquire permits free of any scrutiny.
▶ 0:35:37Just imagine the kind of corruption that this could produce. And none of it is in the public interest. What Republicans are going to tell you today is that these bills are somehow unnecessary to power the increasing electricity demand from artificial intelligence. But that's not true. We've heard from AI and data center business leaders multiple times this Congress and they were all clear. We have to do the exact opposite of what what Republicans are attempting to do. To power AI, we need a grid that's affordable, reliable, and clean.
▶ 0:36:07If the bills you're marking up today were ever enacted, our bid would be expensive. I should I should say our grid would be expensive, unstable, and dirty and and that would be a crisis that none of us can afford. So again, I I don't understand the purpose of today's hearing other than to double down on the same things that uh we heard as part of the budget reconciliation. And none of that is going to actually uh lead to um more electricity.
▶ 0:36:37None of that's going to lead to more affordable prices. And all of it uh you know leads to more and more dependence on fossil fuels uh which totally belies the whole all of the above philosophy. And I I just want to say Mr. Chairman you know I believe in all of the above. We work together on nuclear power. Um you know we've worked together on a lot of different sources.
▶ 0:37:03There's no reason to prioritize fossil fuels which is what's going on today. And with that, I'll yield back the balance of my time. Thank you very much. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The chair reminds members that pursuant to committee rules, all members opening statements will be made part of the record. Are there for further statements? For what purpose does the gentleman from California wish to be recognized? I wish to make an opening statement, Mr. Chair.
▶ 0:37:32Uh gentleman is recognized for three minutes for an opening statement. Thank you, Mr. chairman for holding this important markup. We've all said over and over again, one of our greatest challenges this century will be keeping the lights on and the costs of energy low while modernizing our energy system to keep pace with the rapid growth of our society. Now, we're facing this unprecedented increase in energy demand from data centers, manufacturing, and population growth that we are currently not prepared to handle. We need to use all the tools at our disposal to meet this challenge.
▶ 0:38:01But we are on a path to failure. We are on a path to failure because Congress is spending so much time on study bills and messaging bills instead of bipartisan policies that will help us build the energy infrastructure we need to power the economy. Now, I am inclined to support uh most of the study bills we're considering today, notwithstanding the significant loss of brain power and expertise at the agencies that would be completing the studies because I think we should be setting policy according to long-term bipartisan energy strategy and not fouryear or two-year election cycles.
▶ 0:38:32The Senate permitting deal last year, the Energy Permitting Reform Act or EPRA, attempted to start to develop that long-term strategy, which is why I was glad to support it. And it contained core provisions of my bipartisan speed and reliability act, which would have helped make the energy grid smarter, bigger, and stronger instead of old, small, and dumb, which it is today.
▶ 0:38:53The speed and reliability act streamlines sighting and permitting for large transmissions lines transmission lines that demonstrabably improve grid reliability and reduce congestion with respect to market demand without touching cost allocation whatsoever. This bill this bill does this solely by improving existing programs elimin eliminating permitting redundancies and holding states and federal agencies accountable to project deadlines which I thought was a bipartisan permitting priority.
▶ 0:39:21Again, the bill is bipartisan, costs no money, would shave five years off permitting timelines if we passed it today. We're not hearing that bill today. We're not hearing a number of other bill. We're only hearing one uh bill authored by a Democrat. Um another bill we could hear is the energy uh the um generation interconnection procedures act from Miss Caster to help us with the interconnection queue. Um there's a lot of things we're just not hearing here. We should use hearings as an opportunity to discuss ideas.
▶ 0:39:51Um, but we haven't had that. So, we're serious about keeping the lights on, lowering costs, and ensuring reliability. We need to focus on what's holding us back. The failure to build uh the particularly our failure to build transmission pipelines and new generation of all types, which instead of fighting over what's coming on and off the grid, we should work together to expand and modernize it to accommodate all the things we need. And I really want to wish express again my interest in working in a bipartisan way to deal with these problems. We can't solve these problems uh under one party rule.
▶ 0:40:20Uh I think we've seen that again and again. Um but if we're serious about meeting energy demand and reducing costs, we need to work together. And I'm disappointed to see a lot of really good ideas uh not before the committee today and we'll continue to work to get them uh heard and passed. I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. Are there further opening statements? The chair recognizes a gentleman from New York for an opening statement for three minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I express my disappointment with this markup's agenda.
▶ 0:40:50You've held numerous hearings this year to examine how the United States should address growing electricity demand. And essentially, every single witness, whether they testified at the invitation of Republicans or Democrats, agreed on two key policy needs. First, we need to preserve tax incentives that make it cheaper to build the generating resources that can be built most quickly. And second, we need to make it easier to permit, site, and build transmission infrastructure.
▶ 0:41:19On the first point, we know the majority's position, a reconciliation bill that every credible analysis analyst has found is going to raise energy prices for consumers, including commercial and industrial energy users. On the second issue, there's nothing among the bills today that will allow us to effectively expand our grid infrastructure to better integrate new loads. And there is nothing to support using our existing grid infrastructure more efficiently.
▶ 0:41:49Instead, we are finding new and unnecessary ways to require consumers to pay more for uncompetitive generators to hang around the system. This is not the way to achieve what I believe is a shared bipartisan goal of promoting American AI leadership while making our electric system modern, reliable, and yes, affordable.
▶ 0:42:10This is the wrong approach, and I would implore us to hit the reset button and come together to work on policy solutions that actually address the challenges that will determine whether or not we are a globally competitive economy in the decades to come. And with that, Mr. Chair, I yield back. Thank you. Are there other opening statements? The gentle lady from Texas is recognized for three minutes for an opening statement. Well, thank you, Chairman Lada.
▶ 0:42:35And just before we consider the bills before us today, I really want to put them in the context of the moment that we're in and reflect on that. Um, this subcommittee has held four hearings so far this Congress, all focused on the skyrocketing energy demand, and witnesses representing every segment of the energy sector have made it clear that we need more, not less, energy production, and that we need more investment in energy innovation.
▶ 0:43:03And instead of listening to the experts guidance on these pressing matters, the Trump administration is instead slashing federal investments that Congress has made in energy pro products projects um and implementing and instituting these tariffs that are going to drive up electricity costs and our constituents are going to see that on their electric bills.
▶ 0:43:25But rather than doing anything to stop the president and the administration's actions to take over the role of Congress, whether it's the appropriations that we've made, the projects that we've authorized, or our uh our ability and and responsibility to deal with tariffs, uh we are acting as like it it's business as usual around here, and it's not.
▶ 0:43:47And making matters worse, the reconciliation bill that the House just passed cut investments in energy efficiency and in innovation and in deployment of these technologies that we've been talking about on our committee are so important. You know, just last week, the Department of Energy announced $3.7 billion in cuts to the DOE Office of Clean Energy demonstration programs, and they included groundbreaking projects in the Gulf Coast in the area that I represent.
▶ 0:44:16um that would have provided and guaranteed good jobs for folks um who work in the energy industry and they would have built on Texas's leadership in the technologies of the future like hydrogen and carbon capture. And I think it's really important to recognize that that you know in 2023 Texas generated more electricity and produced more oil and natural gas than any other state.
▶ 0:44:42Texas led US states in wind power generation and Texas led in solar generation. We are second in solar generation and battery storage. So, we can do it all in Texas. We are doing it all. Um, and we've made huge strides in permitting reform and in grid interconnection, the kinds of things we're talking about here. And I just want to remind my colleagues that those investments were driven by uh our Republican governors, Governor Bush and Governor Perry.
▶ 0:45:12This should not be partisan. It it doesn't need to be partisan. So, I hope we can do that important work here, including permitting reform. um and and be visionary on this committee and expand and invest in these resources rather than limit and constrain our ability to have that vision and to move us into the future because that is what energy dominance really is. Thank you and I yield back. Thank you very much. The gentle lady yields back. Are there any further opening statements?
▶ 0:45:44Seeing none, the chair calls up HR 3616 and asks the clerk to report HR 3616, a bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review regulations that may without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Mr. Chairman, for what purposes the gentleman from Ohio's 12th district seek recognition? Mr.
▶ 0:46:14Chairman, I have an amendment in the nature of a substitute at the desk. Uh, the clerk will report the amendment. Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 3616 offered by Mr. Balderson. Section one, short title. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for five minutes in support of the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 0:46:41First, I'd like to thank you, Chairman LA, for holding this mark up today and moving this bill forward. The Reliable Power Act would ensure proper coordination between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FK and federal agencies issuing regulations impacting the bulk power system such as the Department of Energy and EPA. This bill builds off the grid act which was introduced by my by by my friend and former colleague chairman Jeff Duncan and passed the full committee last Congress.
▶ 0:47:10The text of the AIS in the intro in introduced bill contains technical changes to the discussion draft from the legislative hearing based on comments and feedback we received from FK and Nerk. I'd like to thank our committee staff for their work and dedication and making sure that the feedback was included and addressed in this bill. The Reliable Power Act provides federal accountability for reliability and ensures regulations that involve power generation, protect the reliability of electrical grid, and ultimately protect our constituents.
▶ 0:47:40First, the bill would require NERK, the Electrical Reliability Organization, to conduct annual long-term reliability assessments of the bulk power system. If Nerk finds the bulk power system is at risk of not having adequate generation to supply sufficient energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability, it must notify FK and that system is in the state of generation inadequacy.
▶ 0:48:04The bill would then direct FK to notify DOE, the EPA and any agency it determines appropriate of the state of generation inadequacy. Upon such notice, the notified agency is required to send rules under development that impact generation resources to FIRK for review and comment and recommendations to prevent significant impacts on the ability of the grid to supply sufficient energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability.
▶ 0:48:31Under the Reliable Power Act, no rule that affects generation resources can be finalized if FK determines the rule would have a significant negative impact on the ability of the grid to supply sufficient energy to maintain an adequate level of reliability. This committee has heard from many voices over the years, including FIRK, DOE, power providers, and actual grid operators about the very real reliability crisis our grid is facing. It's critical that we maintain reliable and efficient generation.
▶ 0:49:02Unfortunately, the previous administration issued a number of rules targeting our most reliable power plants without proper input or feedback from our grid experts. The Reliable Power Act sets clear accountability and coordination standards to ensure that federal regulations support rather than threaten the strength and dependability of our power system. I'm proud this bill has the support of the American Public Power Association.
▶ 0:49:28represents which represents the nation's 2,000 notfor-profit community-owned electric utilities and serve 55 million people across the country. And Mr. Chairman, I'd like to enter into the record their letter of support for this bill. Without objection, so ordered. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the Ames and the underlying bill. It's vitally important we protect our constituents from dangerous federal regulations that threaten the electrical grid.
▶ 0:49:57Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And with that, I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. Is there further discussion on the Ames? The gentle lady from Colorado. Chairman, I have an amendment to the Ames.
▶ 0:50:14The uh does the it's labeled The clerk will report amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute HR3616 reliable power act offered by Missette.
▶ 0:50:36add at the end the without objection the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle lady is recognized for five minutes of support of her amendment. Thank you so much Mr. Chairman. I have a number of issues with the reliable power act. It's not just that the bill is a thinly veiled effort to prevent clean energy from coming online, but in addition this Congress, it's that it asks for to achieve the impossible with increasingly less bandwidth in the agency.
▶ 0:51:05And frankly, I have a vague sense of deja vu. As Mr. Balderson mentioned, this subcommittee marked up a similar piece of legislation last Congress with Mr. Duncan's Grid Act. Similar to this bill, the grid act would have required FURK to review other agencies rules for their impact of the bulk power sector.
▶ 0:51:27This mandate was concerning as the director of the office of electric reliability at FK testified in no uncertain terms to this committee last Congress that FK did not have the capacity to review such rules with their given capabilities at that time. Well, that hasn't changed in the last two years.
▶ 0:51:48At our hearing in April, two months ago, FK's acting general counsel stated, quote, FK does not have the depth of extent of computing resources to do the extent of analysis that might be required as to some of those other agencies actions that might be subject. This bill is asking FK to do something that it simply is incapable of doing. I echo the same concern with the reliable power act.
▶ 0:52:16In fact, this bill goes as far as to mandate that FIRK must look into every covered agency action when a certain set of criteria are met. If FK didn't have the capacity last Congress, it sure sure doesn't have the capacity this Congress, given that FK is set to lose almost 10% of its workforce due to the Trump administration's efforts to cut the size of government. Um, and and this is detailed in an E&E article.
▶ 0:52:45I ask unanimous consent to enter it into the record. Without objection, so ordered. Not only have 1,500 FK employees opted for deferred resignations, but the administration offered early retirements and implemented a governmentwide hiring freeze. So, how can we expect an already overburdened agency to take on even more mandated work at a time when the grid is deemed to be in a state of of generation inadequacy?
▶ 0:53:13So, I simply can't imagine a scenario where the grid is declaratively having generation problems. Furk employees could simply drop everything to review and evaluate every covered agency action. And it's not just a staffing capacity issue. It's one of access to information and data. As witnesses from FK have said then and now, they simply don't have everything they need.
▶ 0:53:37Uh so I would offer an amendment to fix this which says that it would add language to the bill stating it won't take effect until FK certifies that it has the capability to adequately execute the bill's mandate. This would ensure the agency growing increasingly more understaffed and underresourced isn't asked to do more and more with less and less.
▶ 0:53:59My amendment would let the agency um actually evaluate the rules and regulations with the level of scrutiny needed to to to ensure quality desired outcomes. All of us all of us want to equip our agencies to succeed in actualizing their mission and not set them up for failure. This amendment would safeguard against asking for to accomplish the infeasible.
▶ 0:54:26So this is a common sense good government's good government's amendment. I urge everybody to support it and also I will say Mr. Chairman, I would love to work with my friends on the other side of the aisle to bolster FK and to bolster it for its a ability to do what it's supposed to do now and the demands that AI and all these other issues are going to place on our grid in the future. With that, I yield back. Thank you very much.
▶ 0:54:54The gentle lady, pardon me, the general lady yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment? The gentleman from Ohio's 12th district is recognized five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm moved to strike the last word to speak in opposition to the amendment. The gentleman is recognized to strike the last word. 5 minutes. Thank you. HR 3616, the Reliable Power Act, establishes federal accountability for reliability of our electric grid.
▶ 0:55:19And it places this accountability at FK, the agency most appropriate to asssure other agency regul regulations that affect electrical generation do not negatively affect reliability. Furk does not need to establish significant new modeling or computing capacity under this bill.
▶ 0:55:37Based on the feedback from FK and NERK, the introduced bill provides that FK may consult with transmission organizations and NERK, the North American Reliability Corporation as it evaluates any covered regulation.
▶ 0:55:51Additionally, NERK has has authority to collect necessary information and the transmission organizations have the additional engineering capacity capability, excuse me, to access impacts on the generation mix, transmission, and energy trends to provide perspective to FK. In point of fact, the FK witnesses at the legislative hearing noted that adding these cons constellations would be very beneficial as they would provide additional computing and modeling resources.
▶ 0:56:19This is an important bill for restoring accountability over the reliability of our electrical system for the benefit of the public and communities. I urge a no vote on this amendment and support the aims and underlying bill. The gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion? The general lady, the ranking member of the uh subcommittee is recognized for five minutes. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I uh wish to offer my strong support to Representative Dat's uh good amendment.
▶ 0:56:47Uh but uh colleagues, you'll you'll hear a big theme today and every time you hear affordability, reliability, we're trying to do this and that. What they're really trying to do is grease the skids for dirty energy and try to let them jump the line and uh get out of jail free and and move it. And everything that that does is make life more expensive for folks back home.
▶ 0:57:1395% of all of the energy that came onto the grid last year was clean renewable energy. It's cheaper than ever before. So there these old power sources are trying to keep up and trying to to uh get ahead and all it does is it costs you more in the long run by trying to give them uh a benefit. And this amendment is smart.
▶ 0:57:38It would simply pause implementation of the of this bill until FK actually has the professional staff to carry out the duties under this bill. Testimony before this committee has been consistent for years now. Uh Mr. David Ortiz, then FK's director of the office of electric reliability, testified before this committee two years ago. Mr.
▶ 0:58:00Ortiz was very clear that FK couldn't execute on this bill because FK does not have the capacity to take on consistent oversight of other agencies decisions. So, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to ask unanimous consent to submit for the record the the unedited transcript from that hearing uh just so that it's crystal clear. Without objection. So, thank you. Because two years later, those problems still persist and they've likely uh gotten a lot worse.
▶ 0:58:28This bill does nothing to provide FK with the professional staff or the funding they need to implement the bill. Now oversight of the grids reliability is very important. Uh but it is more appropriate for the regional grid system operators or the department of energy to do that. That's where the expertise exists.
▶ 0:58:50Uh, also I'd note again that the FK commissioners already have the power to intervene and comment on agency rulemaking dockets if they think there could be reliability issues as does NERK, any of the grid operators and any So the the so-called reliable power act uses a pretense of reliability to actually sabotage clean energy and energy storage because it again arbitrarily picks a winner.
▶ 0:59:20It introduces bureaucratic delays and red tape that will raise costs for working families across the country and increase pollution. The regional grid operators have the necessary expertise and staffing to maintain reliability on their grid. Regional operators know that there are cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy sources available, not just coal and gas. But congressional Republicans are simply determined to take us backwards.
▶ 0:59:49In fact, 1972 is calling and it wants its energy policy back. You you are so backward looking. Meanwhile, there are all sorts of modern grid solutions like storage, demand response, and regional and interreional coordination that can provide reliability at a lower price and with less pollution.
▶ 1:00:12While this bill gives FK more responsibilities that it cannot meet and does not want, you also have the Trump administration and House Republicans busy gutting the agencies that are already working to ensure that we have a reliable grid. The energy and commerce uh mark of the uh big ugly bill, you actually took funds away from grid uh reliability, modernization, and deployment.
▶ 1:00:39And there are reports that more than 4,000 staffers at the Department of Energy have accepted resignation offers. This is in addition to the chainsaw attempts to institute mass layoffs. These resignations include about half of the grid deployment office which has just est which was just established in 2022 to modernize and upgrade the grid.
▶ 1:01:05These experts were working to enhance our grid's reliability and resilience, developing new and improved infrastructure priorities that many in this committee have claimed to support. But House Republicans have been complicit with the administration uh with Elon Musk's chainsaw approach, illegally re uh withholding funds from grant recipients across the country and refusing to allow our career experts to do their jobs.
▶ 1:01:33Meanwhile, communities across the country want more flexible want a more flexible and resilient grid. Uh we need to get back to that. So I urge my colleagues to support Congresswoman Deets's amendment and then uh vote no on the underlying bill. Thank you and I yield back. The gentle yields back. Uh are there any further discussions on the amendment? Hearing none. If there's no further discussion, the vote occurs on the amendment.
▶ 1:02:01All those in favor shall signify by saying I. Those opposed, nay. I. All those opposed, nay. Nay. The nays have it and the amendment is not agreed to. The general lady has requested a roll call and the clerk will uh take call the role. Mr. Weber. No. Mr. Weber votes no. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Allen.
▶ 1:02:31Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger Mr. Fluger votes no. Miss Harshburgger Miss Harshburgger votes no. Miss Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. James votes no. Mr. Bence Mr. Bence votes no. Mr. Fry, no. Mr.
▶ 1:03:01Fry votes no. Miss Lee, Mr. Langworthy, no. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes no. Miss Fedorek. Miss Fedorch votes no. Mr.
▶ 1:03:32Guthrie Mr. Guthrie Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster yes. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss. Mlen. Miss. Mlen votes I. Missette I.
▶ 1:04:01Missette votes I. Miss Matsui I. Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonko I. Mr. Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes I. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes I. Miss Miss Accaziocortez votes I.
▶ 1:04:32Mr. Mr. Aenclaus votes I. Chairman Lada no. Chairman Lada votes no. Are there other members wishing to be recognized on the vote? The gentleman from Alabama. Mr. Palmer is not recorded. The language. Mr. Palmer votes no. Am I recorded? Mr. Palone is not recorded.
▶ 1:05:02I vote I. Mr. Palone votes I. Are there any other members wishing to recognized on the roll call? Chairman Lada. on that vote. There were until one second.
▶ 1:05:24I want make sure we have everybody here that wanted to be Come on now. Come on now. Mr. Allen is recorded as no. Clerk will report the uh telly.
▶ 1:05:56Chairman Lada, on that vote there were 14 eyes and 16 nos. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments on the ANS?
▶ 1:06:26Okay, seeing that there are no further amendments, the question will then uh occur on the Ames. All those in favor will signify by saying I. Those nay. Um the um how are we got ahead of me there? Um, all those in favor will say I. I. All the opposed, nay. No.
▶ 1:06:56Uh, the eyes have it and the amendment is agreed to. Are there any further amendments on bill? Saying no further amendments, question now occurs on adopting HR 3616 as amended. All those in favor will signify by saying I. Those opposed, no. Yes. And a roll call has been requested and the clerk will call the row.
▶ 1:07:28Mr. Weber, yes. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Allen. Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Balderson Mr. Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes I. Mrs. Harshburgger.
▶ 1:07:56Miss Harshburgger votes I. Miss Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. James votes I. Mr. Bence. Mr. Bence votes I. Mr. Fry. Mr. Fry votes I. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes I. Mr. Evans.
▶ 1:08:27Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes I. Miss Fedorch. Miss Fedorek votes I. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes I. Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes no. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mendez votes no. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes no.
▶ 1:08:57Miss Mlen, no. Miss Mlen votes no. Miss Dette, no. Missette votes no. Miss Matsui, no. Miss Matsui votes no. Mr. Tonko, no. Mr. Tonko votes no. Mr. Vzy, no. Mr. Vzy, votes no. Miss Shrier Miss Shrier votes no. Miss Fletcher Miss Fletcher votes no. Miss Accaziocortez Miss Accaziocortez votes no.
▶ 1:09:27Mr. Aenclaus Mr. Aenclaus votes no. Mr. Palone Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman Lada I. Chairman Lada votes I. Are there other members wishing to be recognized on the roll call? The gentleman from Mr. Palmer is not recorded. Mr. Palmer votes I. Are there any other members wishing to answer the role?
▶ 1:09:56Hearing none, the clerk will call will report the um tally. Chairman Lada, on that vote, there were 16 eyes and 14 nos. Thank you very much.
▶ 1:10:09The eyes have it and the bill is The chair calls up HR 1047 and asks the clerk to report 1047, a bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill?
▶ 1:10:38The gentleman from Ohio's 12th district uh is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh again, I thank you for holding this hearing and including the bill grid power act. I move to strike the last word. I apologize and speak in support of this bill. This bill is critical to ensure our nation has the base load dispatchable power needed to meet historic demand growth and guarantee the lights turn on for our constituents when they turn the switch on.
▶ 1:11:07PJM, the largest grid operator of the nation, recently announced they expect to lose about 40 gigawatts of generation by 2030. That's 21% of PGM's total capacity. According to PGM, new power resources are simply not coming online at an adequate enough pace to replace the risk of retiring resources.
▶ 1:11:29In fact, between 2022 and 2023, PJM saw over 11,000 megawatts of generation deactivated and only 4,000 megawws of new generation added to the grid. It doesn't take an electrical expert to know it's a major problem when retiring power plants are outpacing new generation. All while our nation has seen historic demand growth from electrification, data centers, and AI. We must do more to ensure that we can fuel the AI revolution.
▶ 1:11:57And we can start by addressing the broken interconnection process. Interconnection cues are list maintained by electrical transmission system operators such as the independent system operators, the regional transmission organizations or transmission providers that tracks all pending requests for new power generation facilities connected to the electrical grid. Right now, our nation's interconnection cues are buckling under their own weight.
▶ 1:12:24The growing backlog of projects is adding years to an already time-consuming process in preventing shovel ready projects from getting connected. In fact, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, almost 2600 gawatts of generation projects were sitting in the interconnection cues across the country. That's more than double the amount of existing generation currently on the grid.
▶ 1:12:48As a result of that backlog, the median wait time for projects to move through an interconnection cues has increased to five years as five years of waiting around before good projects can sign interconnection agreements, begin construction, and get connected to the grid. Given the demand growth in the power plant retirements we're seeing in my home state of Ohio and across the country, we can't wait five or more years. We can't afford to keep delaying critical projects from being built and connected to the grid.
▶ 1:13:17The Grid Power Act would give grid operators the authority to identify and expedite the consideration of essential projects that will protect the grid's reliability and provide the power needed to meet America's growing demand. This bill requires the FIRK uh to develop rules that authorize grid operators, including transmission operators, regional transmission organizations, and independent system operators, to fasttrack critical generation that ensures grid reliability and meet growing power demands by allowing them to bypass the yearslong weight in their
▶ 1:13:47interconnection queue. The bill empowers grid operators to accelerate projects that provide new dispatchable power and improve grid reliability and resource adequacy. addresses power shortages caused by retiring offline dispatchable power and support increased power demand. The grid power act promotes transparency by requiring the grid operators to provide a process for public comment and stakeholder engagement before submitting proposals to FK.
▶ 1:14:15Additionally, the bill requires operators to provide regular reporting on the state of the grid reliability including actions taken under the bill to FK. Lastly, the bill requires FIRK to review and if necessary, update regulations issued under the bill to ensure they remain effective and relevant to evolving challenges to grid reliability and resiliency.
▶ 1:14:39I ask that all of my colleagues support this common sense bill that gives our grid operators the tools they need to get new generation online and connected to the grid at the time of historic demand growth. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. Are there any other members wishing to give remarks on the bill? I have an amendment. For what purpose? Uh does the general lady have the amendment at the desk? Mr.
▶ 1:15:09Chairman, it's u caster amendment HR And the clerk will report the amendment. Amendment to HR 1047 offered by Miss Caster. Page five, line 18, strike. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the general lady is recognized for five minutes for support of her amendment. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, colleagues, the Grid Power Act is unnecessary.
▶ 1:15:37It allows FK to use discriminatory practices to pick pick winners and losers. It does nothing to ensure a reliable grid. Uh we've seen already this year as well that FK has the power to approve changes to the to interconnection cues uh including prioritization of certain resources when it deems necessary.
▶ 1:15:59Now, we've got to do a whole lot more streamlining on interconnection cues, but you cannot ignore the fact that just in February, FK allowed PJM to prioritize adding resources like gas fire fired power plants to its grid while keeping renewable energy projects in its long interconnection queue. Commissioners made it clear that this is only a one-time emergency measure, not a substitute for a well functioning interconnection process.
▶ 1:16:27In May, uh, FK rejected MYSO's proposal to fasttrack new generation interconnections because it was a poorly designed plan that placed insufficient limits on the number of projects that could be fasttracked and prioritized unrelated attributes.
▶ 1:16:46These are the type of complex decisions that we want a robust and independent FIRK fully staffed with professional experts to make in partnership with regional grid operators. And clearly FK already has the necessary authority so long as it it justifies its approval with evidence that such an approach is both just and reasonable and not unduly The only thing this bill allows
▶ 1:17:17is letting FK approve discriminatory practices, pick winners and losers among resources, and that is a recipe for higher costs for consumers. One of FK's core responsibilities is to keep prices affordable. A mission that is made possible by strong competition among energy generators. This resourcene neutral access makes it possible for any project with real investment and progress towards construction to move forward.
▶ 1:17:47But this bill hamstrings that that neutrality which will stifle American innovation and entrepreneurship. This bill and frankly again this entire markup the all of this package of bills fails to understand that reliability isn't a description of an individual generator but rather is an attribute that applies to the entire system.
▶ 1:18:11It's not a given that additional dispatchal dispatchable resources aid you have to rely on a mix of generation, different fuels and wires to make sure everyone can get the power they need all of the time. Uh so while this bill pushes gas fired plants to the front of the line unfairly, making it more expensive, it does nothing to address the real constraints facing gas plants.
▶ 1:18:39It is well documented that supply chain constraints for gas turbines mean that those resources will not come online until 2030. The cost of these gas plants also arising rapidly. Costs that will be passed through to American families and companies. Increased costs and delays for these gas plants also risk pushing lowcost renewables and batteries out of the queue. Further increasing costs.
▶ 1:19:06And we're not even getting into the fact that they're exacerbating the costs, the rising costs of climate. My folks, my neighbors back home are rebuilding from hurricanes because the Gulf waters last year was so incredibly hot. Remember Milton uh went from a category 1 to category 5 in like 15 hours. Helen flooded out thousands and thousands of my neighbors insurance rates are just off the charts.
▶ 1:19:35We're not even getting into that. If we were serious about an approach that brings new energy online quickly to meet demand and lower prices, we would be discussing the expediting generator interconnection procedures act in today's markup which was already included in our last legislative hearing. Uh and in addition, Mr.
▶ 1:19:55Chairman, I'd like to offer uh a letter from the uh NRDC into the record uh this where they write these bills arbit arbitrarily advantage fossil fuel generation even when it is not the most reliable or affordable option, exacerbate climate change and cause electric bills to skyrocket. on this bill in particular.
▶ 1:20:16They say this is an effort to arbitrarily tip the cards in favor of the fossil fuel industry and f and flies in the face of long-held standard of open access to transmission system. It also distracts from fixing the real problems, the slow speed of interconnection cues which are delaying all types of resources from coming online more quickly.
▶ 1:20:38Um, and with that, I'll offer that for the record and uh encourage adoption of this amendment and yield back the balance of my uh the general lady yields back and without objection so ordered. Is there anyone else wishing to be recognized on the amendment? The gentleman from Ohio's 12th district. For what purpose do you wish to be recognized? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I move to strike the last word and speak against the amendment. The gentleman's recognized for five minutes. Speak against the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:21:08I oppose the amendment as it is simply unnecessary. The underlying bill does not amend the Federal Power Act in any way to restrict FK's authority under sections 205 or 206. Nor would it limit or prohibit FK from denying a proposal if it finds the proposal to be unjust or unreasonable or if it's unduly discriminatory or The Federal Power Act requires that all rates, terms, and conditions of FK's jurisdictional services and
▶ 1:21:38charges, as well as all rules and regulations affecting such rates, terms, and conditions, be filed with FIRK for approval and be deemed just and reasonable by the commission prior to becoming effective. Under section 205, utilities have the legal burden of demonstrating that the proposal is just and reasonable. In a section 206 filing, the complaintant must show that the document currently on file is unjust and unreasonable.
▶ 1:22:07FK can also set a new rate, term, or condition by initiating a section 206 proceeding on its own. The grid power act clearly states on page five, line 23, that within 60 days of receiving a proposal, FK shall review the proposal and approve or deny the proposal. Nothing in the bill requires FK to approve a proposal.
▶ 1:22:31Additionally, the bill promotes transparency by requiring those making a request to FIRK to provide a process for public comment and stakeholder engagement and provide regular reporting to the commission on any actions taken pursuant to this act. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment and I yield back. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman yields back the balance of time. Is there any further discussion on the amendment?
▶ 1:22:54Seeing none, the U general A requests a roll call vote and all those in favor signify by saying I. Those opposed, nay. And the clerk will call the role. Mr. Weber. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Allen. Mr.
▶ 1:23:23Allen votes I. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes no. Obviously. I'm sorry. Yeah. Thanks. You know that. Okay. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes no.
▶ 1:23:52Miss Harshburgger Miss Harshburgger votes no. Miss Miller Meeks Mr. James Mr. James votes no. Mr. Bence Mr. Bence votes no. Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly Mr. Mr. Roelly votes no.
▶ 1:24:23Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes no. Miss Fedorch. Miss Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez. I. Mr. Menendez votes I. Mr.
▶ 1:24:53Mullen I. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss McClen I. Miss Mlen votes I. Missette I. Mr. Get votes I. Miss Matsui I. Miss Matsulei votes I. Mr. Tonko I. Mr. Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes I. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes I. Mr. Casiocortez. Mr.
▶ 1:25:23Casiocortez votes I. Mr. Okenclaus. Mr. Aenclaus votes I. Mr. Palone I. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada no. Chairman Lada votes no. Are there members wishing to be recognized on the amendment? Either on. Allan is recorded as I. Mr. Allen is off I and on no. How was Weber wrongly recorded?
▶ 1:25:53Mr. Weber is recorded as I Weber is a no. Mr. Weber is off I and on no. Do we have any other members wishing to be recognized on the role? The clerk will take the role and report. Chairman LA, on that vote there were 14 eyes's and 15 nos. Thank you.
▶ 1:26:22The amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments on the bill? There are no further amendments on the bill and the question now occurs on adopting HR 1047. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. No. The eyes have it request. And the gentle lady has requested a roll call vote and the clerk will take the role. Mr. Weber. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr.
▶ 1:26:53Palmer. Mr. Palmer votes I. Mr. Allen. Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes I. Miss Harshburgger. Miss Harshburgger votes I. Miss Miller Meeks Mr. James Mr. James votes I. Mr. Bence Mr. Bence votes I. Mr.
▶ 1:27:21Fry Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes I. Mr. Evans I. Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes I. Mr. Fedorch. Miss Fedorek votes I. Mr. Mr. Guthrie votes I. Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes no. Mr.
▶ 1:27:51Peters. Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mendez votes no. Miss Mullen. No. Miss Mullen votes no. Miss. Mlen. Miss. Mcclullen votes no. Mr. Dette. No. Mr. Get votes no. Miss Matsule. No. Miss Matsui votes no. Mr. Tonko, no. Mr. Tono votes no. Mr. Vzy, Mr. Vzy votes no. Miss Shrier, Miss Shrier votes no. Miss Fletcher, Miss Fletcher votes no. Mr.
▶ 1:28:21Casiocortez. Mr. Casio Cortez votes no. Mr. Aenclaus. Mr. Aenclaus votes no. Mr. Palone, no. Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman Lada, I. Chairman Lada votes I. Are there any other members wishing to be recorded? Mr. Fry votes I. Seeing no others, the clerk will report the row.
▶ 1:28:50Chairman Lada, on that vote, there were 16 eyes and 14 nos. The eyes have it and the bill is The chair calls up HR 3632 and asks the clerk to report 3632, a bill to amend the Federal Power Act to adjust the requirements for orders, rules, and regulations.
▶ 1:29:17Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So and the chair recognizes himself for five minutes in support of the bill. I strongly support the p the power plant reliability act introduced by our colleague from Virginia's 9inth district.
▶ 1:29:40This bill would enhance existing authorities under the federal power act to ensure premature retirements are not unnecessarily undermining the reliability of our electric grid. As part of that process, orders issued pursuant to this legislation will wave excessive environmental regulations mirroring language in section 202 C of the Federal Power Act to provide needed flexibility for plant owners to continue operating the facility in a coste effective manner.
▶ 1:30:10In addition, this bill would require plans to provide a five-year advanced notice of their plans to retire to help states and RTO's improve long-term planning for resource adequacy of the bulk power system. By requiring this 5-year advanced notice, we can ensure that states and grid operators can responsibly manage their respective systems to keep the lights on for hardworking households.
▶ 1:30:35Importantly, this bill allows for flexibility of the 5-year advanced notice of retirements in the event of an emergency, disaster, or other similar events that leave the inoperable. The energy subcommittee has held several hearings during the 119th Congress to understand the complexities of our ongoing reliability crisis. We continue to hear from grid operators, engineers, and utilities of all kinds about the impact that premature retirements are having on the Bach power system.
▶ 1:31:06Unfortunately, many times it is the policy decisions of the government, both state and federal, that are forcing the closure of base load retirements and seeking to replace generation with less reliable sources. While renewable energy resources have a role to play in a diverse energy mix, not all electrons can be treated the same.
▶ 1:31:26base load in dispatchable energy that comes from the natural coal, sorry, natural gas, coal, nuclear, and hydro power provide the essential reliability service our grid relies on and which inadvertent in inverterbased uh resources inherently do not possess. The excessive subsidizing mature technologies like wind and solar have created a concerning imbalance in our resource mix that is making it more difficult for states and grid operies to keep the lights on.
▶ 1:31:56With this bill, we will provide fur with an additional tool in the reliability toolbox to ensure that all regions of the country have the resources they need to keep the lights on. urge my colleagues to support the bill and I thank our colleague from colleague from Virginia's ninth district for leading on this important legislation and I yield back the balance of my time and does anybody else seek to be recognized on the bill for what
▶ 1:32:29purpose strike the last word gentleman is recognized for five minutes on to strike the last Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I as said at the time we had a hearing on these bills, I'm happy that the majority is interested in meeting energy demand, securing the electric grid, and reducing costs for Americans. The committee needs to finally have a robust bipartisan debate about the future of our energy system, from energy storage to pipelines to transmission to energy efficiency.
▶ 1:32:59Every single witness before this committee has been clear. We need more of everything. Whether it's transmission, pipelines, solar, wind, natural gas, only a true all of the- above energy strategy will help keep the lights on as we transition our energy system to the 21st century. That's why it's so unfortunate that the bills we're discussing today are for f focused more on returning to the past instead of bringing us into the future.
▶ 1:33:21Instead of focusing on how to develop a long-term and holistic energy strategy, which has been proven to decrease costs and improve reliability for everyone, we're talking about short-term fixes that will increase costs, steamroll straight regulators, and negatively affect reliability in the long run.
▶ 1:33:39For example, the Power Plant Reliability Act would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the power to force older, expensive plants to stay open far beyond their planned retirement date, overruling the decisions of all other local, state, and federal officials. Make no mistake, these plants are closing because the market and the experts have dictated that they should close. Utilities, states, and regions are not making investment decisions based on whether the president believes in climate change or not.
▶ 1:34:05They're making investment decisions based on what's best for customers, reliability, and the future of their own system. If there are reliability issues caused by the retirement of these plants, we should address that by building newer, more efficient generation and by building a better grid to transfer power from where it's abundant to where it's needed. I don't think it's fair to ask my constituents to pay for an old coal plant to stay online when the market has dictated we don't need it to.
▶ 1:34:32If a utility, state, or region is caught flat-footed by the retirement of old and expensive generation, that's a planning and governance failure that needs to be addressed instead of propped up by Congress. Why should we use rateayer dollars just to kick the can down the road versus investing in new generation and new grid buildout driven by new American jobs and new American My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are obsessed with blaming our reliability challenges on the retirement of old inex old expensive and outdated coal generation
▶ 1:35:02rather than our inability to build the new infrastructure we need when and where we need it. We should not let shortsighted policies that increase costs for customers and impair reliability of the grid in the long run. I refuse to support those. The power plant reliability act should not take effect until the secretary of energy certifies in writing that American families will not pay higher energy bills doing due to being forced to pay for outdated coal plants to stay online. My amendment would do just that.
▶ 1:35:31All of us have stressed how we don't want how we want to work in a bipartisan way to make America more energy dominant. We need to focus on durable common sense and all of the above policies that provide certainty for industry and consumers. And we should be having hearings on bipartisan bills that improve planning, help us build more transmission and generation and expand the tools in our tool belt to help us meet this challenge.
▶ 1:35:55My bills that we are discussing today, the bills that we are discussing today do not help us do that and for the most part are not the best use of our valuable time. for my speed and reliability uh act for instance is bipartisan costs no money creates no new programs and streamlines the sighting and permitting process for national interest transmission which everyone agrees we need by five years I still don't understand why we cannot have a hearing on a bill like that I urge support of my amendment and I yield back
▶ 1:36:27are there others wishing to just I'm sorry did everything but call my Well, let me ask I have an amendment at the desk that I just spoke to. Well, let me let me ask this because I was you called an amendment. You're speaking on the bill. Let me let me ask this question. Are there others who wish to speak on the bill? Republican side uh on the Democrat side, the gentleman from California has an amendment, I believe, at the desk. What amendment do you have?
▶ 1:36:57Yes, I have an amendment at the desk. Um, it is AMD PP Rac36. The clerk will report the amendment. Amendment to HR 3632 offered by Mr. Peters. Add at the end the following. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for five minutes in support of his amendment. I spoke to my amendment, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:37:26I I I yield My understanding is the gentleman yields back uh since he incorporated in his opening his uh statement. Are are those anyone wishing to speak uh on the amendment? And I will speak on the amendment.
▶ 1:37:54Um, I I rise in uh strong opposition to this amendment which would require the Secretary of Energy to certify that actions taken under this legislation would not unduly increase costs on consumers. This amendment is a necessary and a distraction to the underlying bill and the policy concerns it seeks to address. This committee has held several hearings with grid operators, engineers, and energy industry experts.
▶ 1:38:18And we were told that state polic policies that seek to drive out base load fossil generating units are a key reason for our own ongoing reliability crisis. The power plant reliability act would seek to address this issue by enhancing an existing authority under the federal power act to maintain operation of a generating unit or to build new transmission lines in the event of an electricity supply shortfall.
▶ 1:38:44When the lights go out, people's lives are put at stake and the job creating industries are undermined. It is our hope that this authority would not be utilized and that we can allow entrepreneurs and utilities to build and operate cost-effective and reliable generating units.
▶ 1:39:04Unfortunately, actions taken by states and the previous administration have deliberately sought to drive out reliable base load generating units without replacing resources that meet the needs of our power sector. As NERK has recently stated, over the next four years, our nation is expected to lose 52 gawatts of base load power. At the same time, energy demands from data centers and and manufacturing facilities are skyrocketing.
▶ 1:39:30This amendment would layer on additional burdens and requirements that would already be considered by FK when issuing an order under section 207. When issuing orders under section 207, FK must already consider how rates are just and reasonable for the rateayer and I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment and I yield back. Are the gentle lady from Virginia for you seek recognition?
▶ 1:39:58Uh speaking to the amendment, the gentle lady is recognized for five minutes. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thought it was worth noting um since we are addressing an amendment to the gentleman from uh Virginia's 9inth district which covers Southwest Virginia that uh in today's uh article an article in today's Cardinal News which is an independent nonprofit nonpartisan news site that focuses solely on Southwest and
▶ 1:40:28Southside Virginia. Um there's a very relevant article that questions uh why Congress is stifling the growth of the one form of energy that is the quickest to get up and running and accounted for 81% of the new energy added to the grid last year and that of course is solar uh which the uh big beautiful bill is stifling by doing away with the tax credits.
▶ 1:40:53And in Virginia, as a as a result of that, uh Ben Norris, the um of the Solar Industry Association, uh told uh our Commission on Electric Utility Regulation that the House bill is going to kill the development of enough solar to power this entire state of Pennsylvania.
▶ 1:41:12Now, this same article then goes through a comparison of development timelines for all of the different uh types of of energy from natural gas to um nuclear uh coal, even wind, and makes very clear that solar is the fastest. But here's something that particularly caught my eye uh on coal.
▶ 1:41:37Even Appalachian Power, a coal heavy utility whose service area includes coal country and the gentleman from the ninth district's district has said it has no interest in burning more coal because coal is more expensive than other fuels. The market has already decided, not regulators.
▶ 1:41:56The market has already decided no one should be building new coal plants and existing coal plants should be retired because they are too expensive compared to other forms of energy to be used to generate electricity.
▶ 1:42:11Um and so I think that the um this amendment that would require an analysis of whether the continuation of coal based power plants or uh any other uh outdated uneconomic power plants would ultimately continue to artificially increase utility bills.
▶ 1:42:31Because the one thing we can be guaranteed is that the cost to generate to build a power plant and to generate electricity using it is going to be passed to customers. Our state constitutions mandate that our utilities be able to recover their costs.
▶ 1:42:50And so if we are focused on lowering utility costs while also getting more electricity online, let's be realistic about it and not artificially prop up um util, you know, sources that the market has already said we need to move away from because they're not only terrible for our environment, which on World Environment Day I feel like I should point out, um but are
▶ 1:43:20uneconomic uh and will add more costs in the long run. And with that, will you the gentleoman yield? I yield. Uh thank you. I want to thank the gentleoman from Virginia and the gentleman from California for really keeping an eye on electric bills for American families and and business owners.
▶ 1:43:40Because what this package of bills that the GOP has brought will do is it will raise electricity cost on hardworking Americans because it's all it gives that it greases the skids for dirtier more expensive power sources to come onto the grid with the hope of crowding out the cleaner cheaper energy.
▶ 1:44:03And the gentleman is you reminded me of all the testimony that we've heard in this committee of first few months of the year with the AI data centers uh the huge uh new uh power generation that they needed and to a person um from all sectors as Miss Fletcher rep uh referenced earlier in her remarks everyone has said bring this power onto the grid.
▶ 1:44:30We have this clean, cleaner, cheaper power that is supposed to come onto the grid, but I know that that is a threat to the bottom line of the dirty, polluting uh power generators. They don't like it. So, they're using every tool at their disposal to try to kneecap cleaner, cheaper energy, and all that will do will raise electricity bills for all Americans, and they need to be awake to it. So, I I appreciate you bringing this up.
▶ 1:44:59Uh, and we should pass Mr. Peter's strong amendment. I yield back. The gentle lady's time has expired. Are there any others wishing to be recognized on the amendment? I'm sorry. The general lady is recognized from North Dakota. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have to respond to a few of the comments that have been made by my colleagues on the other side.
▶ 1:45:26Um, first of all, there seems to be a complete denial of the what's happened over the course of the last 10 years and the en energy transition as it relates to costs. Costs are rising today. Costs in the states that have transitioned the fastest to the renewables have risen the most. That we have to pay for the new stuff and the old stuff to back it up.
▶ 1:45:51So this is it's a fallacy that we are by what we're doing driving costs up. Secondly, it is durable. These are durable and common sense solutions. It's durable and common sense to recognize today twothirds of the grid is at risk of not having enough power to meet demand today in America, twothirds of the country. We need more power.
▶ 1:46:17So, it is very durable and reasonable and common sense to keep the stuff that we have until we have the replacement things online. That's common sense. We also need to recognize that demand is substantially. We need more power as fast as we can get it. So, shutting things down is not the right approach right now. The new technologies are still being developed.
▶ 1:46:43They aren't ready for prime time to cover all the needs on the grid. We need solutions today. We need to recognize that NERK and the grid operators are begging for dispatchable power. Yes, they want all power, but they are begging for dispatchable power. MYSO has been saying we need more gas. We need more gas. We need more gas for many years.
▶ 1:47:08And we need to recognize that we by eliminating subsidies, we are not stifling anything. You can still invest in these resources. Just do them without the tax credits. So there's a fair market. So there's fair market signals being sent to all the resources and that the investment can go where it's needed the most.
▶ 1:47:31So there's just we've got to be talking about some of these um truthful basic scientific things as it relates to the grid. Thank you. I yield back. The gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion? Gentleman from New Jerseys. What purposes he seek recognition to speak on the amendment? The gentleman's recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word. Thank you, Chairman. This this amendment is about affordability.
▶ 1:47:57So, a vote for it is uh supporting all of our constituents in the affordability challenges that they have. A vote against this amendment is making their lives harder. I just want to quote from the amendment. It says that that the underlying bill will not take effect until it is certified that the act and its amendments will not expose American families to the risk of higher power bills by paying for outdated e uneconomic coal fired power plants to stay online longer.
▶ 1:48:25So, so this is simply about ensuring before the bill becomes law becomes takes effect that all of our constituents both Republicans and Democrats constituents will not be paying higher prices. So, this is simply about affordability and voting against is saying to your constituents that you're not concerned about their utility costs.
▶ 1:48:46Two, I have a question for the Republican party and its view on state rights because it seems that the party of state rights has consistently taken actions this Congress to force their agenda on individual states. That is what the entirety of today is going to be about is about is about forcing the federal government on states despite what states believe is best for their environments, for their constituents.
▶ 1:49:08In fact, if some of my Republican colleagues had actually read the what they deem the big beautiful bill, they would have seen that with respect to AI, we were taking away uh states rights. And a Republican who had voted for it said that if she had read the bill, she would have opposed it because it's a violation of state rights. She also says that we should be reducing federal power and preserving state power.
▶ 1:49:33So, I just don't know which way it is because it seems when there's an issue that is important to the Republican party, states rights don't matter. And when it's an issue that's important to constituents across the country, um they they have a different tune. And so this inconsistency is problematic because it's an issue by approach the Republican party has at the expense of the American people and at the expense of people that live in states who have concerns about what some of these projects would do to their health and well-being.
▶ 1:50:01So it is is wildly inconsistent. The last thing I would say with respect to fairness which my last colleague uh had talked about this is putting the thumb on the scale for dirty energy producers and we are also penalizing those who are trying to implement clean energy throughout the country. So this is there. The Republican party cannot talk about fairness when you are putting the thumb on the scale for dirty energy and you are penalizing those that want clean energy so we can have a cleaner environment for all Americans.
▶ 1:50:32So that's why this is an easy yes vote. If you vote no, then I look forward to you finally having those town halls and telling your constituents why you did so. I yield back. The gentleman yields back. Is there discussion hearing? None. Um the vote occurs on the amendment. All those in favor shall signify by saying I and those opposed, nay. And there a roll call has been requested and the clerk will take the role.
▶ 1:51:04Mr. Weber, no. Mr. Weber votes no. Mr. Mr. Allen. No. Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger, M. Harshburgger, Miss Harshburgger votes no. Mrs. Miller Meeks, Mr. James, Mr. Bence, Mr.
▶ 1:51:34Bence votes no. Fry, Miss Lee, Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly, no. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes no. Miss Fedorch. Miss Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes no.
▶ 1:52:04Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mr. Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen I. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss Mcclelen I. Miss Mlen votes I. Miss Dette I. Mr. Get votes I. Miss Matsule I. Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonko. I. Mr.
▶ 1:52:34Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss. Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes I. Miss Aassiocortez. Miss Aassiocortez votes I. Mr. Okenclaus. Mr. Aenclaus votes I. Mr. Palone. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada. Chairman Lada votes no.
▶ 1:53:04Are there uh members wishing to answer the role? Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes no. Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no James is not recorded. Mr. James votes Mr. Vzy Mr. Vzy is not recorded. Mr.
▶ 1:53:31Vzy votes I How's Mr. Langworthy reported? Mr. Mr. Lang M. Sorry, Mr. Langworthy is reported as no. Thank you. Any other members? Hearing none, the clerk will take the role. Chairman Lada, on that vote, there were 14 eyes and 15 nos.
▶ 1:54:01The amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments? further. There are no further amendments. The question now occurs on adopting HR 3632. All those in favor will signify by saying I. Those opposed, no. Request. And a roll call has been requested. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Weber I. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr.
▶ 1:54:33Mr. Allen. I. Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Mr. Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger. Miss Harshburgger. M. Harshburgger votes I. Miss. Miller. Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. James votes I. Mr. Benz. Mr. Benz votes I. Mr. Fry. Mr. Fry votes I. Miss Lee.
▶ 1:55:04Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly I. Mr. Roelly votes I. Mr. Evans I. Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes I. Miss Fedorch. Miss Fedorch votes I. Mr. Guthrie I. Mr. Guthrie votes I. Miss Caster no. Miss Caster votes no. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Mendez.
▶ 1:55:34Mr. Mendez votes no. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes no. Miss Mlen. Miss Mlullen. No. Miss Mcclullen votes no. Mette no. Mr. Get votes no. Miss Matsule no. Miss Metsui votes no. Mr. Tonko no. Mr. Tonko votes no. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes no. Miss Shrier.
▶ 1:56:03Miss Shrier votes no. Miss Fletcher Miss Fletcher votes no. Mr. Casiocortezio Cortez votes no. Mr. Okenclaus Mr. Aenclaus votes no. Mr. Palone. Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman Lada I. Chairman Lada votes I. Are there any other members wishing to be recognized on the role? How's the gentleman from Texas recorded?
▶ 1:56:33Uh Mr. Fluger is not recorded. Mr. Fluger votes I. Are there any other members wishing to be recorded? Clerk will report. Chairman LA. On that vote there were 15 eyes and 14 nos. The eyes have it. The bill is adopted.
▶ 1:57:02The chair calls up 36 HR 3638 and asks the clerk to report 3638, a bill to direct the secretary of energy to prepare periodic assessments. And without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So ordered. The chair recognizes himself for five minutes in support of the bill.
▶ 1:57:28I speak in support of my leg legislation HR 3638, the electric supply chain act. The legislation would direct the department of energy to conduct ongoing assessments of matters affecting the supply chain for the power sector. The Electric Supply Chain Act will seek to uncover risk, vulnerabilities, and security considerations in the availability of manufactured grid components that are necessary to expand our electric infrastructure.
▶ 1:57:59In addition, this bill will leverage the expertise of our power sector industry to improve the department's understanding of the part of the power sector and strengthen supply chains that are critical to the timely development of electric generation and transmission infrastructure. In recent years, we've seen how supply chain constraints and bottlenecks for key grid components such as distribution transformer transformers and natural gas turbines can stifle infrastructure development.
▶ 1:58:29By establishing periodic assessments under this legislation, the department will remain in a proactive posture to identify and address matters affecting our power sector supply chain as they arise. By all reports and projections, our nation is on the precipites such as data centers and domestic manufacturing.
▶ 1:58:57The timing of projected demands is occurring as historic levels of base load power are leaving the system due to confluence state and federal actions that attack fossil fuels and subsidize preferred sources of intermittent generation. In fact, an estimated 52 gawatts of base load power is expected to retire over the next four years.
▶ 1:59:18Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency estimates US electricity demand to increase over the next three years by the equivalent supply of the whole state California. These job creating industries remain vital to economic prosperity and our national security. We cannot sit idly by while our adversaries seek to gain competitive advantage to control the next generation economy.
▶ 1:59:41This bill takes an important step to prepare our federal agencies against supply chain constraints that could occur as our nation seeks to increase electric generation to meet demands of the next generation. I urge my colleagues support the bill and I yield back the balance of my time and are there any other members wishing to speak on the bill? The gentleman from New York is recognized to strike the last word. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. move to strike the last word.
▶ 2:00:11Um, this week we considered the support act in regard to mental health and behavioral health uh and its reauthorization on the floor and I see some very strong similarities with the electric supply chain act because I'm not opposed to what's being proposed in this bill.
▶ 2:00:26In fact, during the Biden administration, DOE published an excellent series of reports entitled America's strategy to secure the supply chain for a robust clean energy transition which assessed our domestic supply chains for grid equipment, energy storage and much more. So, this is a good common sense thing, but asking DOE to write this report in the context of what is happening at the agency is challenging. We don't know the exact state of the office of manufacturing and energy supply chains.
▶ 2:00:57We don't know how many DOE employees that are leaving the agency were in MESK or how those departures will affect the offices capacity to go forward. So, Mr. Chair, I would love to be able to work with you on this bill. Would like to be able to suggest some non-controversial improvements to make sure that DOE is considering a wide range of supply chain issues in its reports.
▶ 2:01:21But as a first order issue, we need to begin by having a better bipartisan understanding of what is happening at the Department of Energy and what exactly is the Trump administration's plan for me. Uh and moving forward until we can get more information from the administration and a commitment to maintain the capacity and capa and and capabilities of MSK, I will have a hard time supporting this proposal. With that, I yield back. Thank you very much. The gentleman yields back.
▶ 2:01:51Is there any further discussion? Gentle lady from Virginia is recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I have an amendment at the desk. Gentle lady has an amendment at the desk. It's labeled AMD_HR3638_01. The clerk will report on the amendment.
▶ 2:02:19Amendment to HR 3638 offered by Miss Mlen. Add at the end the following. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle lady is recognized for five minutes in support of her amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 2:02:33I I agree with the gentleman from New York that there are a lot of similarities between this bill and the support act in that um this committee and ultimately uh this Congress continues to put more uh on agencies as on the on the one hand while the administration is gutting the workforce that could implement it and I don't know how um this this bill would be anything more than a paper tiger
▶ 2:03:03without the workforce to to to put it in place. And so my amendment would prevent the bill from taking effect until the Secretary of Energy can certify two things. First, that the Department of Energy has the sufficient staff in place to support the timely progress of ongoing programs and projects authorized and funded by Congress as well as the new responsibilities uh like the assessments required by this bill and any other bill we discussed today.
▶ 2:03:32Second, that the Department of Energy has no plans for further reductions in force. As we consider the Electric Supply Chain Act, we can't look at it in a vacuum, but we have to look at the broader context. And the reality is that drastic and reckless workforce reductions and funding cuts uh are hampering the Department of Energy.
▶ 2:03:54So already uh Doge has forced out over 3,500 Department of Energy staff and we've heard that further mass layoffs are coming. Key offices responsible for implementing this bill have lost significant portions of their staff. For example, the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains has lost about twothirds of its staff.
▶ 2:04:15The loan programs office has lost a significant number of staff and is being gutted under the reconciliation plan that the Republicans uh pushed through two weeks ago. Across the country, businesses and community partners are waiting to hear from the Department of Energy right now about critical contracts and access to funding and congressional offices inquiring on their behalf can't get any information because there aren't enough people to provide it.
▶ 2:04:42Uh my office has heard that in some cases the Department of Energy can't even determine who is responsible for certain projects because so many experienced staff have been forced out. And with the Department of Energy already struggling to meet its obligations, we can't pretend it's business as usual and justify putting additional duties on uh an already stressed and under um you know overworked and not enough workforce.
▶ 2:05:11So, while I am all for proactively getting ahead of studying and looking at the domestic supply chain, um I don't think we should send any false hope to the American people that any of this is actually going to be done because we don't have unless we know that the Department of Energy has the staffing levels, office capabilities, expertise, and operating plans to do the work it already has to do plus this additional work. Uh and so I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and I yield back.
▶ 2:05:42The gentleman yields back and I recognize myself uh to strike the last word to speak in opposition to the amendment for five minutes. This bill is important to focus the department on critical shortcomings in supply chains for electric grid components.
▶ 2:05:58With spiking energy demand, the pressures on assuring secure and reliable supplies of components are only The thrust of this amendment is that DOE may not have the capacity to do this or many of its other critical functions. I'll look forward to talking to the Secretary of Energy next week about his plans to re to reorganize the agency and focus on its energy security functions. I remind members that DOE has tremendous capabilities.
▶ 2:06:29Even before the massive spike in the department's size over the last few years, DOE has operated with over 12,000 employees and over 100,000 contractors that extends across a massive network of labs and facilities. These world worldclass capabilities can manage a focus on our most critical electric supply chain issues.
▶ 2:06:53This bill helps focus DOE on our electric supply chain and I urge a no vote on this amendment and I yield back the balance of my time. And is are there others? The gentle lady from Washington I think had her hand up first to strike the last word to speak on the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 2:07:13Uh, I move to strike the last word to strongly support Representative McLaren's amendment because this addition uh for Department of Energy staffing is just plain common sense. Frankly, uh, given the chainsaw that this administration has taken to the Department of Energy, there's this level of cognitive dissonance here that's incredibly frustrating. Giving them more work but taking away the employees.
▶ 2:07:38And we both agree, I think we all agree that a study on supply chain issues is critical if it comes to enhancing our grid. And that's a really good thing. And we've all heard from the utilities in every one of our districts about dangerously low inventories of transformers, for example.
▶ 2:07:59The vulnerabilities in our supply chain have significantly increased lead times in the past few years and frankly are becoming a national security issue. But what troubles me is the crickets that I am hearing from the other side of the aisle when the administration does things like cut in half the staff at the office at the Department of Energy that's charged with manufacturing and supply chains or when the administration doubles down on the chaotic tariff roll out on steel the same steel that we need to make
▶ 2:08:29these grid components. So all of this ultimately leads to higher costs and less reliable electricity. So, I would say to my colleagues, uh, my Republican colleagues, this amendment is your chance to show that you mean business and you actually want this done.
▶ 2:08:47Uh, it's it's an amendment that is simply asking for a thumbs up from Secretary Wright, that he's got the workforce and the resources necessary to carry out the Department of Energy's mission and safeguard the country's energy security, including electric supply chains. I want to strongly support this amendment and encourage my colleagues to vote for it and I yield back. Thank you. The gentle yields back the balance of time. Are there others wishing to speak on the amendment?
▶ 2:09:15The gentle lady from New York's 14th district is recognized for five minutes to strike the last word. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, you know, I think many of my colleagues here are and including myself are looking at some of these bills and there's just genuinely some confusion here. The the underlying bill that we are seeing and considering today um reads as a common sense proposal.
▶ 2:09:44It's it's asking that we ensure Congress is informed of efforts to strengthen our domestic grid and improve our electric supply chain. That doesn't seem so bad except the agency that's responsible and the office that would be responsible for doing this has been doed.
▶ 2:10:05So are we I think it's what we're seeing I think is some confusion from the Republican majority of which one is it. All of these offices have been cut eliminated because the Republican party is saying this is wasteful. It is fraudulent. It does not belong.
▶ 2:10:29And yet the Republican majority now continues to introduce bills to do things that they have deemed as wasteful. This office has been doed. So, it has been cut. It has been personnel have been eliminated.
▶ 2:10:50So why is the Republican majority also introducing legislation and bills trying to add to work to an agency that has been by and large eliminated in this bill itself. Mr. the congressman's study in particular would be conducted by the office of manufacturing and energy supply chains. The Trump administration has proposed a 75% cut to this office.
▶ 2:11:18So, what are we doing here? And it's it's a genuine good faith question. I don't mean this to be a sendup. I just want to know, is this wasteful or is it not? And I'm I speak in support of the gentle lady's amendment because her amendment is simply asking us to be honest.
▶ 2:11:47And she is asking for clarity from this administration to say we actually will have the staff and we will certify that we have the resources to do the thing that this bill asks us to do. And so I I think this what this amendment does is that it's preventing us from saying one thing and doing another which perhaps is why the majority is opposed to it.
▶ 2:12:17Um but I think it's important and I think that people deserve clarity. Do Republicans believe that this office is wasteful or not? Because after telling Elon Musk and after telling plenty of people that they're going to go along with Doge, now they're turning around and trying to actually add and reverse all of these efforts that they just cut. So, I think we just want some clarity here. Do we believe that this is wasteful or not?
▶ 2:12:47Do we want to hire the staff back that was doing this important work or not? If the majority realizes that gee, maybe all of these cuts weren't a good idea and maybe these people were doing good, honorable, important work as public servants for the American people, I would love for us to have a conversation about um reinstating their work because certainly it seems like there seems to be some buyer's remorse here and um we're happy to accept any reversals and opinions. And with that, I yield back.
▶ 2:13:20Do any other members seek recognition to speak on the amendment? Hearing none. M Mr. Chairman. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Gentle from last word. Oh, the gentle lady from Colorado is recognized for five minutes. Strike last word. I'll yield to the gentle lady from Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay.
▶ 2:13:41Part of the reason why I'm introducing this amendment is, you know, when I was a state legislator and we introduced a bill that would put any new requirement on any state agency, we would have to get a fiscal impact statement that would outline how many how many full-time employees do you need or full-time equivalents do you need to perform these duties?
▶ 2:14:04And if the agency didn't have them, we couldn't pass the bill unless we had a budget amendment to fund new employees to conduct the work. And I think as as we debated for 26 hours two, you know, two weeks ago, um whether or not we were operating efficiently as a government, whether or not we were going to get a hold of the national debt because, you know, states
▶ 2:14:35can't print money and that's why we have to make sure that we fund any new employees necessary to do these new duties. And essentially that's what this amendment is trying to do is say look before you put new responsibilities on an agency. Do you have the capacity to actually do it?
▶ 2:14:56And if not let's be transparent about it as the gentlewoman from New York says and figure out do we need to hire these people back or hire new people. But how can the office of manufacturing and energy supply chains conduct a study when twothirds of his staff is gone?
▶ 2:15:15And yes, the chairman pointed out, well, they're they're contractors and and all of these partners, but a lot of contracts are being cut and a lot of the of the the research and and duties that the federal government has given to private or or nonprofit or government partners are being cut either in the reconciliation bill, in the recision bill, or the new uh budget that we're about to debate.
▶ 2:15:46And I think one of my biggest frustrations making the transition from state government to federal government is it's just common sense that before you pass a bill and I and I get it. You want to pass something to show the American people we're trying to get ahead of meeting our energy needs. We all agree we need to do that. We all agree that we need to make sure there's enough um energy on the grid.
▶ 2:16:09We all agree that we make to make sure that the supply chain can meet the demands of building and generating new energy. And a lot of this is is because of the growth of AI. But AI has not reached the point where it can conduct this study. Maybe one day it is, but until it is, we need people. We need people to do the work that we keep imposing on these agencies.
▶ 2:16:38And at some point, we've got to be responsible and step back and say before we add new responsibilities, can we make sure we have the people that can actually do it? And that's what this amendment is intended to. There were amendments to the support act to do the same thing.
▶ 2:16:55And it it's it's it's kind of delusional to just ignore what is happening in the in the in the executive branch and what is happening in the with the appropriators and say we're just going to move forward and put all these new responsibilities on an agency that doesn't have the capacity to do it anyway. And I don't think that's what the American people sent us here to do.
▶ 2:17:23They sent us peer to be responsible and transparent and with that I yield. I yield back. The gentle lady yields back the balance of her time. Is there and the gentleman from New Jersey um strike the last word for five minutes. Thank you, Chair. I want to speak in support of my colleagues amendment and the comments that have been made by Democratic members of the committee in terms of the reality as it exists at the executive branch and all the cuts that Doge has made and what we're trying to do here.
▶ 2:17:52And the thing that I think is important is I don't understand why we should take House Republicans word uh that the Department of Energy has the staffing capacity to do this. The amend amendment simply states that the secretary of energy, Trump's appointee, would make this certification and I think that person is better positioned to make an assurance that he has the appropriate staffing needed to do the work that you're asking um to be conducted by
▶ 2:18:22various federal agencies. So I think it's an easy yes on this amendment. the secretary of energy if he believes that he does have the staffing capabilities um can certify so and the bill would take full force in effect I don't think we should be doing so before we have that assurance this this is two branches of government working together and that's why the amendment makes so much sense and we should all be in support of it with that I yield back yields back is there any further discussion on the
▶ 2:18:53amendment seeing no further discussion All a roll call has been requested and all in favor are those in favor of sign by saying I. Those opposed nay and the clerk will take the role. Weber Mr.
▶ 2:19:20Weber votes no. Mr. Mr. Palmer, Mr. Allen, Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger Mr. Fluger votes no. Miss Harshburgger. Mrs. Miller Meeks. Mr.
▶ 2:19:51James. Mr. James votes no. Bence. Mr. Bence votes no. Mr. Fry. Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes no.
▶ 2:20:20Miss Fedorch. Miss Fedorek votes no. Mr. Guthrie, no. Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters, Mr. Peters, votes I. Mr. Mendez, Mr. Mendez, votes I. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen, votes I. Miss McClen, I. Miss Mcclullen, votes I. Migette, I. Mr. Get votes I. Miss Matsui, I.
▶ 2:20:49Miss Matsui, votes I. Mr. Tonko. I. Mr. Mr. Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes I. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes I. Mr. Casiocortez. Mr. Casiocortez votes I. Aenclaus. Mr. Aenclaus votes I. Mr. Palone. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada. Chairman Lada votes no.
▶ 2:21:26Harshburgger. Miss Harshburgger votes no. Their clerk will report the result of the row call. Chairman Lada, on that vote, there are 14 eyes and 15 nos. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there any further amendments to the bill?
▶ 2:21:55Hearing none, the question now occurs on adopting HR 3638. All those in favor say I. Those opposed, no. And a roll call, nope. The roll call vote is not called on this. The um uh all those in favor will respond by saying I. I. Those opposed, no. No. The eyes have it and the bill is agreed to.
▶ 2:22:23Uh, chair calls up HR 3157. Ask the clerk to report 3157. A bill to amend the public utility regulatory policies act. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So ordered. Does anyone seek recognition on the bill? Gentleman from New York is Thank you, Mr. Chair. Speak on the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 2:22:53Today, we are considering a common sense and forward-looking proposal, HR 3157, the State Energy Accountability Act, which ensures that our pursuit of clean energy does not come at the expense of reliability, affordability, and national security. The state energy accountability act would amend the public utility regulatory policies act perpa to add a new standard requiring state utility regulators to conduct and publish evaluations of the impact of their intermittent energy mandates.
▶ 2:23:22These evaluations must assess long-term resource adequacy, the ability to meet demand during extreme weather or peak load, rateayer impacts, and whether retiring base load plants can realistically be replaced by resources that the state is requiring. And critically, these evaluations must be made public. Transparency isn't just good policy. It's the least that we owe the working families and small businesses who are footing the bill when the lights go out or utility bills go up.
▶ 2:23:53Let's be clear, this bill doesn't block or ban renewable energy. What it does is simple and necessary. It requires transparency and accountability from states that mandate the use of intermittent energy sources. If a state is going to require a certain percentage of electricity come from solar, wind, or other intermittent sources, then the state's regulators ought to be able to show the American taxpayers how those mandates will affect grid reliability, utility rates, and emergency preparedness over the next decade.
▶ 2:24:22Too often, policies are adopted in pursuit of unrealistic climate goals without fully evaluating their downstream effects, especially on the bulk power system. In my home state of New York, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act or CLCPA is a case study in what happens when ambition and ideology ignores practical reality.
▶ 2:24:46It sets some of the most aggressive climate goals in the country, 100% zero emission electricity by 2024, and net zero emissions economywide by 2050. But here's the problem. There's no clear or credible roadmap to get there without compromising grid reliability and affordability for millions of New Yorkers. And consequences are already showing.
▶ 2:25:09Report after report from New York State's ISO make it clear the phase out of reliable base load resources like natural gas is outstripping the buildout of any viable replacement. And on its current trajectory, New York is heading straight for a serious capacity shortfall, especially during winter peaks or extreme weather. And this is a life-threatening situation. Uh, and then there's a cost. New York's own climate action council has acknowledged the implementation could run into the hundreds of billions of dollars.
▶ 2:25:39This is an economic burden that is already landing on the backs of working families, small businesses, and seniors in our state. While reliable base load resources like natural gas are being phased out faster than any viable replacement can come online. Now, unfortunately, New York is not alone in this crisis. California with its own aggressive clean energy mandates has faced recurring blackouts, soaring rates, and has even had to fire up natural gas peer plants during heat waves just to keep the lights on.
▶ 2:26:09Americans deserve better. Americans deserve more transparency. They deserve to know how these policies affect their energy bills, the reliability of their power, and the resilience of the grid. And that's why the State Energy Accountability Act is so important. It doesn't ban renewable energy. It simply says if you're going to mandate it, you owe constituents and taxpayers the truth. So I urge my colleagues to stand up for reliability and affordability and support this measure today. And with that, I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
▶ 2:26:39The gentleman yields back. Is there discussion on the bill? Any further discussion? If there's no further discussion, are there amendments for the bill? No. Seeing no amendments, if there's uh no further discussion, uh do you want uh voice vote?
▶ 2:27:10We'll have a voice vote on this. All those in favor of passage of the legisl of the bill will signify by saying I and those nay. All the f all those I I. All those no. No, the eyes have it and the bill is agreed to.
▶ 2:27:30The chair calls up HR 3628 and ask the clerk to report 3628, a bill to amend the public utility regulatory policy. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized? For what purposes the gentleman from Colorado wish to be recognized? Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word on the bill.
▶ 2:28:01Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I'm uh proud to speak in strong support of my bill, the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act. This critical bill will help incentivize better energy policy across the nation and in states like Colorado that can lower the financial burden my constituents are facing by encouraging states to consider implementing policy that focuses on long-term energy reliability and therefore encouraging and positively impacting affordability for rateayers.
▶ 2:28:30My constituents from Colorado's 8th congressional district sent me to Congress with a mission to fight for common sense policies that will help lower their cost of living and enable them to pursue the American dream. For so many in my community, that begins and ends with energy affordability, which goes handinand with energy reliability. Unfortunately, Coloradoatans are paying 24% more in electric costs than they were just four years ago.
▶ 2:28:56In my district alone, which is 40% Hispanic, nearly 90% of Latino families saw a rate increase in just the last year. Make no mistake, this is a direct result of red tape and overregulation by the state of Colorado and our public utilities commission. Our legislature, governor, and public utility commission continue to pursue reckless energy policies that send our state careening towards an uncertain future.
▶ 2:29:23For example, more than 10% of all dispatchable power retirement in the nation this year will take place in Colorado. And our state public utility commission recently approved the first statewide mandated electrification plan in the nation in a state where 80% of rateayers say they still support voluntary action over mandates. When replicated nationwide, these policies don't just threaten Americans economic prosperity, they imperil American greatness and innovation itself.
▶ 2:29:54If America is to lead the rest of the world in the next generation of historydefining technology, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing, then energy reliability is non-negotiable. As the United States continues to make rapid advancements in these fields and as companies continue to invest in domestic workforces and supply chains, our national energy needs will only go up.
▶ 2:30:17In fact, in my district, my local electric provider has projected energy demand to increase by three times over the next 10 years. And that's after already doubling in the last 10 years. Simply put, if states like Colorado want to meet energy reliability demands and lower costs for working families, the answer is more power, not less.
▶ 2:30:39Sweeping electrification mandates and arbitrary Green New Deal deadlines that retire crucial base load dispatchable power simply doesn't cut it. At both the state and the federal level, policymakers must adopt approaches that leverage every avenue available to achieve an energy ecosystem that is safe, affordable, and reliable. That's why the state planning for reliability and affordability act is so important.
▶ 2:31:04It clearly takes a light touch to regulating and incentivizing uh entities like the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to consider long-term reliability requirements that bolster and support American innovation. keeps the light on rain or shine and helps reduce utility bills for the middle class. That way, when weighing policies that will impact energy reliability, these entities have to take in that thoughtful stakeholder feedback that impacts uh the reliability before making their decision.
▶ 2:31:34My district knows energy better than just about any other community. From producers that generate the vast majority of oil and natural gas in Colorado to cutting edge battery storage, wind and solar projects, my constituents are ready to get to work to answer the nation's call for more power to improve reliability and affordability. They just need their state policy makers to get on board. This bill helps to accomplish that, which is why I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. Thank you and yield back.
▶ 2:32:01Would the gentleman Would the gentleman yield? I yield to the chairman. The gentleman yields back as a further discussion on the bill. General A from Colorado is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can see why my colleague from the HCD would not want to yield to me. I just wanted to ask him a question.
▶ 2:32:25And the question I wanted to ask him because he was implying through his his um statement on this legislation that that his bill would require states like Colorado to amend their energy plans to um in include fossil fuels and and um and and other types of fuels.
▶ 2:32:52But but I what I was going to ask him was as I read this summary of the bill, it says uh requ uh state public utility commissions should consider mandating within two years that the utilities include in their integrated resources plans measures to procure non-inmittent electricity for their needs.
▶ 2:33:15The question I was going to ask him was since Colorado has already adopted its plan, it would seem to me that this bill would not make any would would not have any effect on Colorado's plan or the plan of any other state that has adopted a plan. And maybe I'm wrong, but I can see why he wouldn't want to answer that question.
▶ 2:33:40the that but the implication of this bill is somehow that renewable energy is is necessarily more expensive and and less uh reliable than than fossil fuels. And I I I don't think that states like Colorado and other states have determined that.
▶ 2:34:04Um, what this bill would is intended to do, I think, although questionable whether it would do it, is to push utilities away from renewable energy sources in favor of fossil fuels under the guise of reliability. But, but, you know, I I think that that's a false premise because um, I want to talk about a couple of different scenarios that we've seen recently.
▶ 2:34:27the power outages during the Texas winter storms in 2021 when Governor Abbott wrongly blamed wind and solar power for the state's massive grid failure, but renewables outperformed grid operator forecasts during 90% of the blackout and and the in the rest fell short by at most 115th as much as gas plants.
▶ 2:34:49And FK in fact said and and I remember actually this committee um uh ranking member Caster will remember the hearings that we had after the Texas blackouts and it was because of inadequately weatherized power plants and natural gas shutting down because it got so cold in Texas and um and and there are many other examples like that.
▶ 2:35:14In Colorado, we have already codified our plan and at least in in my district, Excel Energy has implemented a plan which they have decided will get them to affordable, reliable renewable energy by 2030. And I don't know if my colleague from the HCD has been up been over to the um Excel Energy trading floor in downtown Denver.
▶ 2:35:43You've been there. It's a thing to behold to see how Excel Energy works on their energy mix uh both renewables but also fossil fuels to to shuttle it back and forth to make sure that we're using the most coste effective and um and and solid energy sources daytoday. And in fact uh Mr.
▶ 2:36:10Chairman, I've several times invited this committee to come. I think it'd be a great field trip for this committee to come and see the Excel trading floor, but also to see ENAL and some of the other really valuable energy agencies that we have in Colorado because we're really proud of it.
▶ 2:36:29And so I guess I just don't see why we should um why we should enact a law like this which doesn't even really do anything because it doesn't mandate it which I guess is good but also seems to infer that renewable energy is a problem because because I think it's working in Colorado and I think it's working in many other states. And with that I would yield Thank you.
▶ 2:36:56The gentle lady yields back and the gentleman from Texas's 11th district is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado. Thank you to the gentleman from Texas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, just in quick response here, I think the gentle lady uh is perhaps um uh unclear about what the bill does. Uh the bill is talking about the reliability of all of the above energy sources. And so if energy is reliable uh then it's not impacted by this bill.
▶ 2:37:26And as we talk about the planning that's occurred in Colorado, I think it's important to note a couple of things that have already been brought up uh which are that costs have gone up by 24% in the last few years in Colorado. Colorado is responsible for 10% of the base load generation that is slated to retire in the nation despite only producing 1.2% of the power in the nation.
▶ 2:37:50uh and that there are estimates that actually show that the path that Colorado is on lead to a 137 megawatt shortage in electrical uh uh electricity on the grid uh by 2030. And so when it comes to making sure that we have sufficient reliability on our grid, legislation like this, which is techneutral and merely focuses on the reliability, uh is critically important to make sure that we keep the reliability and the affordability of the grid available to the rateayers.
▶ 2:38:20Thank you. Will the gentleman from Texas 30 seconds to the gentle lady from Colorado. Thank you. Well, I thank you very much. at least you'll yield to me. I I just wanted to ask um my colleague from Colorado h if costs went up as he says and if Colorado has already adopted his plan, how would this specific bill impact that yield to the gentleman from
▶ 2:38:50Colorado? Thank you. This bill focuses on again the reliability because unfortunately in Colorado as we've discussed the emphasis is on things like first in the nation electrical mandates uh and moving in a direction that prevents uh all of the above energy options being afforded uh to the rate consumers and mandating things like uh um electrification and no other forms of energy sources being available.
▶ 2:39:17Uh and unfortunately that's not a reliable form of of energy. And when you don't have that reliability, then the affordability component suffers again leading to that 24% increase to rateayers. And yield back. Yield back. And the gentleman yields back. Gentle lady from New York's 14th district is recognized for five minutes. Strike last word. Uh Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk. Gentle lady has an amendment at the desk.
▶ 2:39:46The clerk will report. Do you have the uh number? I guess it's AMD HR 362801. Amendment to HR 3628 offered by Miss Aassiocortez, page three, line 19. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle lady is recognized for five minutes in support of her amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 2:40:13You know, I think in uh to continue the robust discussion that was just happening, um you know, there's a lot of conversation here about reliable and implementing uh reliability in the energy grid as the guise for this bill, but curiously, the standards that the gentleman lays down for what is reliable are only met by oil, gas, and coal.
▶ 2:40:42This is an oil, gas, and coal bill. This is a fossil fuel industry bill. Um, and I will say since the gentleman invoked having a 40% Hispanic and Latino district, I would be remiss without saying this bill would devastate the reliability of the energy grid for Puerto Ricans in the United States. Um, in Puerto Rico, gas and oil infrastructure is some of the least reliable.
▶ 2:41:12Uh, LUMA, which relies on coal, oil, and gas, is repeatedly putting millions of Puerto Ricans at risk. And we have seen that not every place in the country is one genuinely um solar is a place where Latino communities either in Puerto Rico or across the Sunb Belt in the United States rely on solar to
▶ 2:41:43allow them to have more reliable energy resources and and uh energy than the fossil fuel infrastructure around them has. And when we only define reliable as oil, gas, or coal, we really shut off our ability for people to have resilient and reliable energy through natural disasters.
▶ 2:42:06This bill completely ignores the fact that modern grid solutions such as battery storage or building strategic transmission lines or managing energy demand can lead to a more reliable grid faster and for less money. I want us to talk about battery storage in particular, which this bill as written would exclude.
▶ 2:42:30As I said earlier, virtually all current battery technologies are unable to operate continuously by the narrow lines as laid out by this bill. Therefore, batteries are de facto excluded from this bill's definition of reliable generation. when battery storage in and of itself is one of the most promising technologies that we have to make our grid more reliable.
▶ 2:42:55That means that this bill ignores the fact that solar and battery storage, not fossil fuels, have been proven to be more resilient to severe weather events in places like Puerto Rico. And I can tell you, uh, one of your own colleagues, Jennifer Gonzalez, who's now the governor of of Puerto Rico, is moving towards increasing fossil fuel reliance. and we have seen a sevenfold increase in the projected blackouts on the island this summer.
▶ 2:43:21This bill ignores the fact that clean energy and battery storage can deploy more reliably. Clean energy and storage, which currently makes up 95% of the energy projects looking to interconnect to our grid, take an average of 20 to 30 months to develop, whereas gas plants can take over 5 years.
▶ 2:43:40For this reason, I am introducing an amendment requiring that states also consider investments in largecale battery storage systems for the purpose of grid reliability. It's not taking away fossil fuels, but it's saying that we can't only have extreme and narrow definitions of fossil fuels as the only source of reliability.
▶ 2:44:04Encouraging investment in battery storage will not only help make our grid more reliable, it will encourage investment in domestic manufacturing and supply chains for critical minerals, transformers, and batteries, and a whole host of up of upstream products and components that I know my Republican colleagues support. And for this reason, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back. Thank you. The gentle lady yields back. Is there the gentleman from Colorado is recognized for five minutes.
▶ 2:44:34Strike the last word. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh and uh thank the gentle lady for her comments, specifically the comments that truly do highlight the all of the above policies uh that were contained in this piece of uh of proposed legislation. And just want to state for the record as we continue this robust uh dialogue here that uh NERK has identified aggressive state policies as the greatest risk to long-term reliability.
▶ 2:44:59So making sure uh that there are appropriate planning considerations around state policies uh in the reliability space when we're looking at the energy grid are entirely and completely appropriate. Again using that all of the- above lens for uh lens for for energy. Um the amendment uh that has just been offered by the gentle lady would include an additional requirement under section uh 111D for states to consider the inclusion of sufficient battery storage systems as part of their supply side resource planning.
▶ 2:45:30States would be required to consider factors such as cost effectiveness, reliability, and resilience uh and the security of the system. Uh, and again, as a supporter of all of the above energy, I don't oppose the concept of the amendment and would be willing to work with my colleague on incorporating battery storage into the underlying legislation.
▶ 2:45:48Uh, however, we do need some more time to conduct due diligence and review to ensure uh ensure that the uh proposed amendment does not undermine result in unintended consequences toward uh or negative interaction with the underlying policy of uh the the legislation. And so I would ask if my colleague would consider withdrawing the amendment and working with us before a full committee markup. Um I believe the my amendment is quite straightforward.
▶ 2:46:18Um so I I will not be withdrawing it but um I I look forward to you know I think you can take a look at it right here. I'm happy to provide the language of it. It's quite um easy to to put forward. I wouldn't withdraw it. I'm not prepared to withdraw it at this moment, but um I'm happy to continue these conversations with you. Like to uh to thank my colleague for that.
▶ 2:46:43Um again, having uh been a legislator at the state level before, familiar with how oftenimes even straightforward amendments can have unintended, third, and fourth order effects. And so, uh unfortunately, um right now, I can't support the amendment without further consideration. Uh and would therefore urge my colleagues to oppose. and yield back. The for what purposes? Gentleman from California seek recognition. Move to strike the last word to speak to the amendment.
▶ 2:47:12The gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Speak to strike the last word. U. I support this amendment. I just I just want to say a little bit about how um the real world is working right now. Um, I've heard from the other side of the aisle a lot about the need for natural gas power to meet demand as if it's the only way to meet demand and how this quote unquote intermittent generation is harming reliability. But that's not how utilities actually are meeting demand, especially in my home state of California.
▶ 2:47:42uh natural gas and peaker plants can be critical uh and they are critical for meeting peak demand on the hottest days at the most critical hours when people are getting ready for work or coming home at the end of the day or when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing. But the fact is that clean energy like wind, solar, and storage is leading the charge to meet demand all day long. Yes. Uh and is getting even better at meeting demand during peak hours.
▶ 2:48:08And it's especially true when we can build a better grid, better utilize storage as this amendment addresses, and better utilize efficiency. Uh instead of moving our grid into the system into the future, um and where costs continue to cost continue to go down or system is more reliable and has more energy. Uh the majority is really insistent on holding us back for really ideological reasons. Why why do I say it's ideological?
▶ 2:48:33Um the the gentleman before u on the other side identified 2600 gawatts of power that wants to be built. Nerk has identified that's 26 nuclear 2600 nuclear power plants. 90 to 95% of that is non-emitting. Uh it's available in short short order in a year to year or two as as opposed to the five year it takes to put a gas gas power on online. And that quantity is absolutely critical for us meeting the demand we're all talking about having to see.
▶ 2:49:02The second the second uh place I just refer you to is is the real leader in energy I think um in the United States around the world is Texas. What's Texas doing with renewables? It's building more solar than anybody else. Not because the federal government's telling them to do that, because they know what they know that that that solar power is a huge uh component of meeting the quantity of demand of a growing state like Texas.
▶ 2:49:28So, let's take it from Texas uh and let's take it from uh places that have figured this out and we really talking about building a quantity. It is all of the above. Uh and it's not just oil and gas. Oil and gas is critical in these peaker plants uh and for um for making sure that we we have reliability, but that does not imply that it's it's cheaper to build out natural gas alone than everything else or that we can do without all the quantity of of uh of um these
▶ 2:49:58um many many gigawatts, thousands of gigawatts of power that will come from uh renewables including um solar, geothermal and storage. And I yield back. I yield to the gentle lady from New York. Thank you.
▶ 2:50:15And you know, I think speaking of um unintended consequences, what this amendment is highlighting is an un unintended are the unintended consequences of the bill as written. The 30-day provision explicitly makes this not in all of the above energy bill. It only allows oil, gas, and coal to meet the standards as presently written.
▶ 2:50:44This bill, as written, also has unintended consequences for some of the most vulnerable and energy vulnerable Americans in the United States. Puerto Ricans pay the highest energy rates other than Hawaii. And people often go weeks, if not months, without power due to outages. And as written, the bill has unintended consequences.
▶ 2:51:13This amendment simply asks that states also consider investments in large-scale battery storage systems for the purpose of grid reliability. And uh and I would urge all of my colleagues to to consider the fact that given the possibility of unintended consequences in any piece of legislation, I believe that the that we are mitigating risk here with this amendment. And with that, I yield back. I yield back.
▶ 2:51:44The gentleman yields back. Is there any further discussion on the amendment hearing? None. A roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will take the role. Mr. Weber. Mr. Weber votes no. Mr. Mr. Palmer votes no. Mr. Allen. Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson.
▶ 2:52:14Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes no. Miss Harshburgger. Miss Harshburgger votes no. Miss Miller Meeks. Mr. James Mr. James votes no. Mr. Bence Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans Mr.
▶ 2:52:44Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman Mr. Goldman votes no. Miss Fedorch Mr. Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez Mr. Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen I. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss McClen. Miss Mlullen votes I. Mr. Digette I. Mr. Get votes I. Miss Matsule I.
▶ 2:53:13Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonko I. Mr. Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes I. Miss Shrier Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher Miss Fletcher votes I. Mr. Kaziocortezio Cortez votes I. Mr. Oenclaus Mr. Palone Mr. Palone votes I. LA Chairman Lada votes no.
▶ 2:53:39Are there any other members who did not answer the call want to record their vote? Hearing none, the clerk will report the result of the row. Chairman Lada, on that vote, there were 15 eyes. Sorry, pardon. Chairman Lada, on that vote, there were 13 eyes and 15 nos. The amendment is not agreed to.
▶ 2:54:20Are there any other amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the question now occurs on adopting HR 3628 as amended. All those in favor shall say signify by saying I. Those opposed, no. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed, no. No. The eyes have it and the bill is adopted.
▶ 2:54:47Uh for what purpose does the gentle lady from Florida, the ranking member of the subcommittee seek recognition? Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh members, I'd like to uh welcome to the energy subcommittee, a group of scuba, uh students from Florida who are interested in careers in marine sciences. I'm so sorry I couldn't meet with you in my office. you can but uh welcome to this committee where we're debating energy policy for the country and I'm really excited to welcome you to the committee.
▶ 2:55:17Thank you for being here. Welcome. The the chair now calls up HR 3657. Ask the clerk to report 3657. A bill to amend the Federal Power Act require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to without objection. The first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point.
▶ 2:55:46So ordered The chair recognizes a gentle lady from Washington for five minutes. Thank you uh Mr. Chairman.
▶ 2:56:14Well, as a member from the Pacific Northwest, where hydropower makes up the majority of our energy mix, I am very proud to lead this effort to enhance transparency and help streamline the relicensing process with my colleague from Idaho, Representative Fulture.
▶ 2:56:32This bill will support maintaining clean, abundant, affordable, non-emitting energy by transparently monitoring the status of the relicensing process for each application to rellic a power generating dam. Every 30 to 50 years, hydropower dams need to rellic their dams uh with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in order to continue operating a facility.
▶ 2:56:59The relic rellicensing process is typically very lengthy and in part for very good reason. You want to make sure they're safe. The public comment period needs to be robust for all parties to weigh in and frankly without that input, we risk either danger or potentially devastating environmental consequences on regional However, with uh relicicensing activity set to double in the in the upcoming decade and the process still taking on average
▶ 2:57:297 to 10 years to complete, there are crucial reforms needed to streamline relicicensing without compromising that careful consideration. Otherwise, we could risk not having the power we need when we need it. This common sense bipartisan bill takes the first step by enhancing transparency and tracking progress on any given relicensing process for all parties involved.
▶ 2:57:54I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on comprehensive bipartisan rellicensing reform and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back. The gentle lady yields back. The chair recognized himself for five five minutes. strike the last word on the bill. Hydro power is critical to our nation's energy mix, supplying power to approximately 30 million homes and businesses.
▶ 2:58:21While hydro power is well known as a clean energy source in areas like the Pacific Northwest, is essential in powering communities across the country. Additionally, hydropower accounts for 40% of the nation's uh start capacity for grid recovery following a major disruption following the recent grid events in Spain. The importance of maintaining nearly half of our black start capacity could not be clear. However, the average age of hydropower facility in the United States is 60 years old.
▶ 2:58:51Therefore, hundreds of projects representing approximately 16 megawatts of power will be up for rellicensing between now and 2035. Hydropower developers must go through an extensive permitting process in order to relic ongoing projects. While this process is important for local community and stakeholder engagement, it is also sign it all can also significantly increase the cost and timeline of rellicensing these important energy sources.
▶ 2:59:18In a 2021 report, FK found that the average length for the relicicensing process was 7 to 10 years. While some of this is due to applications containing greater environmental complexities, it can also be attributed to slow walking by different agency pulled into the project's preview.
▶ 2:59:35To increase transparency surrounding the status of hydropower relicing applications, HR 3657 would require an annual report from FK to Congress detailing the status of projects that have filed a notice of intent to go through the relicensing. This will better inform Congress on the status of applications and highlight obstacles to the efficient permitting and deployment of hydropower projects. I thank the gentle lady from Washington and the gentleman from Idaho for their development on this legislation.
▶ 3:00:05It is imperative the projects are rellicensed in a timely manner and to ensure clean and reliable hydropower dams remain online for years to come. And I yield back the balance of my time. Is there any is there any further discussion? The gentle lady from California is recognized. Strike the last word. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word and speak in support of this bill.
▶ 3:00:32In Sacramento, we get more than 20% of our electricity from hydropower. The majority that comes from the upper American River project. Our local utility, the Sacramento M municipal utility district, otherwise known as SMUD, recently completed the rellicensing process for these hydropower facilities. It took nearly 14 years. That simply is not acceptable. We have to do things faster and more efficiently without sacrificing quality, and we can.
▶ 3:01:02But we have to be forwardlooking. We cannot be doubling down on fossil fuels. Hydropower is essential to meeting our clean energy goals in California and across the country. We can and should reach a bipartisan agreement to reform hydropower licensing. I was disappointed last Congress when we had a bipartisan bill that industry, environmental groups, and tribes had all agreed on, but this committee refused to take it up.
▶ 3:01:28Instead, the committee wasted everyone's time with a dead end self-serving partisan bill that had no chance of becoming law. So, I'm really happy that we're taking a different course this Congress. I support this bill and I hope it's a start to a serious hydropower reform discussion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you. The gentle lady yields back the balance of your time. Is there any further discussion on the bill?
▶ 3:01:54Are there any Hearing no amendments. If there's no further discussion, the vote occurs on the amendment. I'm sorry. If on question now occurs on adopting HR 3657, all the those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. The eyes have it and the bill is agreed to.
▶ 3:02:28The chair calls up HR 3015 and asks the clerk to report 3015 a bill to reestablish the National Coal Council in the Department of Energy to provide advice and recognized on the bill. Mr. Mr.
▶ 3:02:57Chairman, I move to strike the last word. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized to strike the last word for 5 minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am so happy to see HR 3015 included today. The National Coal Council was established in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, tasked with assessing government and industry on coal research, production, transportation, marketing, and use. It worked great for over 35 years, produced over 40 reports for the DOE for free.
▶ 3:03:27Presidents on both political parties renewed the charter without changing the mission. However, under the Biden administration, November of 2021, the Biden DOE did not renew the council's charter for the first time in almost 40 years. The Biden administration then revamped the committee's mission to align with the Green New Deal, which has been proven not to work. economic and climate agendas were pursued under the Trump administration.
▶ 3:03:55However, we signed an executive order titled Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry on April 8th of this year. Department of Energy Secretary Wright called for the National Coal Council's reestablishment that very same day. Secretary Wright said, "The American people need more energy. The Department of Energy is helping to meet this demand by unleashing supply of affordable, reliable, secure energy resources.
▶ 3:04:21All one has to do is look back two or three Christmases ago and realize that the American grid pretty much almost melted down. The coal plants in my district were asked to go to full capacity and the energy must was almost not met. Coal is essential for generation of 247 electricity generation that powers America's homes and businesses.
▶ 3:04:42But misguided policies from previous administrations have stifled this critical American HR3015 undo misguided policy of the last administration by reestablishing the National Cool Council in accordance with their charter that it was in effect November 19th of 2021.
▶ 3:05:03I urge members to support HR3015 so the National Coal Council can once again cement American energy dominance, increase domestic production, improve conditions for workers, strengthen the industry base, support hundreds of thousands of jobs, and stop the war on clean coal. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield. The gentleman yields back. Is there any discussion on the bill?
▶ 3:05:29the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from New Jersey to recognize for five minutes. Strike the last word. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in my opinion, this bill is just a complete waste of time. Republicans want to reestablish the National Coal Council. Well, Secretary Wright reestablished the National Coal Council on April 8th, nearly two months ago. You know, congratulations. You got what you wanted. But why on earth are we wasting everyone's time trying to pass this law?
▶ 3:06:00I mean, I think it's emblematic of the fact that Republicans are all about meaningless messaging. Republicans put this bill on the markup agenda that they didn't put uh ranking member Caster's bill, expediting generation in connection procedures act. Miss Caster's bill, unlike this bill, would have actually taken action to fix some of the problems that we've heard about this year. And less than six months into their majority, Republicans, in my opinion, are out of new ideas.
▶ 3:06:28Instead of actually attempting to come to durable bipartisan solutions on policy, we're stuck here debating a bill about an advisory council that has already been reestablished. It makes no sense. I mean, there there are serious energy issues that need to be addressed by this subcommittee.
▶ 3:06:45Finding ways to meet increasing demand for power, making electricity more reliable and cheaper for American families, or what about reauthorizing pipeline safety, which is nearly two years overdue, and instead we're talking about a coal council that already exists. I I just don't understand it. So, I'm opposed to this, and I yield back. Thank you very much. Any further discussion on the bill? The gentleman from Colorado is recognized. Strike the last word for five minutes.
▶ 3:07:16Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to yield my time to the gentleman from Ohio. Thank you. Thank you to the gentleman from Colorado. Just a little response to that. Uh we are doing this because we want this actually cemented so it's permanent. We don't want a new administration to come and get rid of the coal uh industry and the coal council. But more importantly than that, I want to take note that the opposition party has celebrated industry that has developed brand new coal plants that have been taking place in Germany, India, Russia and China.
▶ 3:07:45We are buying products and we are doing more commerce with those four countries that have celebrated new coal plants. So we just want to maintain our coal industry, our coal ma uh dominance in America. And with that, I yield my time back to the gentleman from Colorado. and I yield to the chair. The gentleman yields back. Is there any further discussion on the bill? The chair recognizes the ranking member of the subcommittee, the gentle lady from Florida. Five minutes. Strike the last word. Yeah. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 3:08:14Chairman, and I rise in opposition to this bill. It's another one uh in the conga line of of bills in the package today that will um really try to prop up some of the dirty polluting power sources. And what really has has pushed coal out of business is gas. Uh they I've watched at home where Tampa Electric Company, they used to have uh coal fired power plants.
▶ 3:08:43they have over time replaced those coal plants with with uh gas uh which is also very expensive. We shouldn't be so reliant in the sunshine state on on gas resources. But I I just thought that this would be the moment where we could talk about the huge disconnect uh going on in the energy subcommittee because we we talk about how the Republicans uh all of your policy decisions are going to lead to higher electric bills.
▶ 3:09:14But there is a bigger picture here and that is the fact that we are living in a climate crisis. The year 2024 was the hottest year on record. Uh, in fact, the past uh the 10 hottest years on record have all happened since 2015. Um, I spoke earlier about the fact that my community is rebuilding from the two worst hurricanes that came back to back within two weeks uh in in our history. It's very expensive.
▶ 3:09:43The climate crisis is also it's not just fueling higher electric bills because we have longer, hotter summers. It's fueling all of these higher costs relating to insurance and rebuilding and just trying think about what's happening to a working people outside with these incredibly excessively hot days. It all has a cost.
▶ 3:10:06Um, so when you all bring bills here that prop up dirty fuel sources to power America, what you're doing is you're asking us yes to pay higher electric bills, but you're missing the moment. You are abdicating the moral responsibility that we have to our communities, to our kids, to tackle the heating climate. There are solutions. There are solutions.
▶ 3:10:33J one was just brought uh and you rejected it and that was simply to to incorporate grid storage all of the exciting work going on with advanced batteries so that we can answer your concern over intermittency of renewable sources. That's and Representative Peters explained that that's not how utilities are thinking of this today.
▶ 3:10:55Um, this package of bills, and this is a a good example, throws a wrench again into clean cleaner, cheaper energy sources that yes, are going to keep energy bills from spiking. Now you're going to own it. But it also misses the urgency that the Congress should be acting with to tackle the climate crisis. And we have solutions.
▶ 3:11:18And instead you look at our clean our historic clean energy law and you say, "Oh, look at all the power that is about to come onto the grid. We can't have that because uh the oil and gas industry and coal industry don't want it." Well, I would offer that it's time to act in the public's interest and not for the special interest anymore. Don't bury your head in the sand.
▶ 3:11:43answer the moral obligation to that we have to our kids to ensure a livable future and I yield back. Thank you. Thank you. The gentle lady yields back. Is there any further discussion on the bill? Seeing none, are there any amendments on the bill?
▶ 3:12:06Seeing none, the chair uh the question now occurs on adopting HR 3015 and a roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will take the Mr. Weber. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Palmer votes I. Mr. Allen I. Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Mr.
▶ 3:12:35Balderson Mr. Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger Mrs. Harshburgger Mrs. Miller Meeks Mr. James Vince Mr. Fence votes I.
▶ 3:13:06Mr. Fry, Mr. Fry votes I. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes I. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman Mr. Goldman votes I.
▶ 3:13:37Miss Fedorch. Miss Fedorch votes I. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes I. Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes no. Mr. Peters Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mendez votes no. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes no. Miss. Mlen. Miss Mlullen votes no. Miss Dette, no.
▶ 3:14:07Miss Dette votes no. Miss Matsule, no. Miss Metsui votes no. Mr. Tonko, no. Mr. Tonko votes no. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes no. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes no. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes no. Aassiocortez. Mrs. Accassiocortez votes no.
▶ 3:14:37Mr. Oenclaus, Mr. Palone, no. Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman Lada I. Chairman Lada votes I. And how's the gentleman from Texas 11th district reported? Mr. Fluger is not reported. Mr. Fluger votes I. Mr. James is not recorded. Mr.
▶ 3:15:04James votes I. The clerk will report the uh role. Chairman Lada. On that vote, there are 15 eyes and 13 nos. The eyes have it and the bill is adopted. The chair calls up HR 3617 calls the clerk to report.
▶ 3:15:373617, a bill to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Mr. chairman. Uh, for what purposes the gentleman from Michigan seek Mr. Chairman, I uh seek recognition to speak favorably from my bill.
▶ 3:16:06The gentleman has is recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, today we have an opportunity to advance a transformative vision for our nation's energy future through my securing America's critical minerals supply act. This bill is a bold step toward ensuring the United States leads in energy innovation, security, and independence.
▶ 3:16:27The security the securing America's critical minerals supply Act redefineses critical energy resource to empower the Department of Energy with a clear mandate to secure the supply of minerals essential to our energy sector. This bill could not come at a more crucial time for our country. And I'm thrilled to see that this committee is taking this issue seriously acting.
▶ 3:16:51China currently controls over 80% of global rare earth refining capacity and Russia has about 44% of the world's uranium enrichment capacity supplying some of the 35% of US imports for nuclear fuel. According to the Department of Energy, if we are serious about having an all of the- above energy approach, we must find a way to produce these critical energy minerals domestically. My bill puts us one step closer to doing that.
▶ 3:17:18My legislation directs the DOE to conduct ongoing assessments of supply chain vulnerabilities, develop strategies to strengthen domestic production, and invest in innovative technologies. It equips our nation to counter anti-competitive tactics and human rights abuses in global markets, ensuring America's energy systems are resilient, self-reliant, and humane. This is about unleashing American energy, powering our factories, fueling innovation, and securing our future.
▶ 3:17:46The securing America's critical mineral supply act is a cornerstone for reshoring manufacturing, reducing dependence on foreign dictators and desperates, and building an energyindependent America. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and unleash the full potential of America's energy. That, Mr. Chairman, I yield. Thank you very much. The gentleman yields back. Are is there any further discussion on the bill? The gentleman lady, the ranking member from Florida is recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:18:15I move to strike the last word and speak in opposition to 36 HR 3617. Um, I think we all agree that critical minerals policy is very important. It's an important topic for this committee in particular. Uh we have to do more to secure our critical mineral supply chains through a whole combination of domestic production, recycling, and partnerships with our friends and allies across the world.
▶ 3:18:42Unfortunately, with the as with so many other bills today, this legislation fails to meet the moment. It does nothing to strengthen our critical minerals supply chain, nothing to make us more safe, nothing to lower energy costs for working families across the country. And it it's really a a shallow attempt um to to demonstrate that maybe the committee is doing something.
▶ 3:19:10Um, but one of the things that really disturbs me is you've ignored all of the good bipartisan work that has gone on across the Congress over the past couple of years. For example, the select committee on the uh strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party.
▶ 3:19:27We had a whole working group and Congressman Rob Whittmann and I and the whole committee advanced uh uh suggestions, recommendations, and I don't see any of that reflected in in this legislation. At that committee, we heard from academic researchers, uh large mining companies, innovative startups, labor leaders, and they u that culminated in some good bipartisan legislation.
▶ 3:19:54We heard repeatedly that one key area in which the US has fallen behind is in processing. China holds the dominant position in processing for many essential minerals including 65% of the lithium, 74% of cobalt, 42% of copper, and 100% of graphite. And as this committee hopefully learned during the O and I hearing last month, processing is squarely in our jurisdiction.
▶ 3:20:22Uh so we need to to really hammer out some truly u productive constructive legislation here. But this bill unfortunately fails to to get there. It provo proposes to make very minor organizational changes at the department of energy uh which was an agency that was making significant progress over the past few years.
▶ 3:20:46In in the past four years alone, we saw companies announce more than $120 billion in investments in battery and critical mineral supply chains from mining to manufacturing to recycling.
▶ 3:21:00Um, it kind of goes back to the point that was made by Congresswoman Mlullen and Okaziocortez and and Shrier and others that you you want to pretend like you're doing something on a topic, but you totally bury your head in the sand to the Doge cuts, the chainsaw that's been taken to taken to our experts at the agencies.
▶ 3:21:24The Trump administration has poked our friends and allies across the world in the eye at a time when we need to be working together to shore up these supply chains. That DOE work was um happening through grants, loans, tax credits that were funded by the infrastructure law and the IRA. In 2021, the US had enough battery manufacturing capacity to power over 500,000 electric vehicles.
▶ 3:21:51as of the beginning of this year announced battery gigafactories would have powered 10 million EVs. So after seeding ground to China for many years, we were finally starting to win uh protecting our industrial base, creating good paying jobs, strengthening our national security and our energy security. But since January, you're kind of seeding that seeding that that progress to China.
▶ 3:22:19you everything that's happening together is sabotaging these efforts. Um so I would really you're not going to fool anyone with a bill like this that is a distraction or a a shiny object because damage is being done right now and we we have to get back to countering China and investing in our industrial base. Uh Congress created the DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains.
▶ 3:22:47We've appropriated funds for battery me uh materials processing, recycling, but you've just let it wither on the vine and let the chainsaw approach win the day. And that is not going to that is not a winning combination for this country. It's not a winning combination for consumers who want lower cost and innovation. I believe this committee can do meaningful work and we should get back to that. I yield back my time. The gentle lady yields back.
▶ 3:23:15Is there any further discussion on the bill? Hearing none, are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the question now occurs on adopting HR 367. Oh yes, 3617. All those in favor will signify by saying I. I. Those opposed, no. No. The eyes have it and the bill is agreed to.
▶ 3:23:44The chair calls up HR 3109 and asks the clerk to report HR 3109, a bill to require the Secretary of Energy to direct the National Petroleum Council to issue a report with respect. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered.
▶ 3:24:09and I will recognize myself for five minutes to speak in support of my legislation HR 3109, the refiner act. Over the last several years, the United States refining capacity has shrunk. While some of this capacity loss has been due to external factors, state and sometimes federal policies have made it more and more difficult to operate within certain jurisdiction. This is not a new problem.
▶ 3:24:35Our nation's last major US refinery was built in 1977, nearly 50 years ago. But since then, our refining capacity is running on empty. Not only has this increase the price at the pump during the peak demand seasons, but it also has increased fuel dependency on Asian countries for areas like the West Coast that are supply con constrained.
▶ 3:25:00This increasing dependence runs counter to the policy goals of this administration, the needs of our My legislation, the re researching researching efficient federal improvements for necessary energy refining or refiner act will help increase energy refining capacity in the States. This simple legislation requires the collection of critical information, including identifying factors leading to low refining capacity.
▶ 3:25:28With that information, the National Petroleum Council would submit a report to the Secretary of Energy and Commerce presenting recommendations to expand refining capacity to ensure an abundance of affordable and reliable energy in the United States. I'm disappointed none of my Democratic colleagues join me in introducing the legislation. It's important to note that this bill has historically been support and passed through this committee on a bipartisan basis.
▶ 3:25:54Simply put, we need more refining capacity in this country and my legislation helps with that effort and I urge my colleagues to support my legislation and I yield back the balance of my time. And are there any other members seeking recognition to speak on the bill? Seeing none, are there any amendments to the bill?
▶ 3:26:19none, the question now occurs on adopting HR 3109. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. The eyes have it and the bill is to. The chair calls up HR 3062 and ask the clerk to report.
▶ 3:26:43HR3062, a bill to establish a more uniform, transparent, and without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So ordered. Does anyone seek recognition on bill? For what purpose does the gentle lady from North Carolina seek recognition? North Dakota, I'm sorry, North Dakota seek recognition. I would like to offer an amendment in the nature of substitute for HR 3062.
▶ 3:27:13The gentle gentle lady is recognized for five minutes. Speak on the aim. Oh, I'm sorry. Would the uh clerk report? Would the gentle lady please specify the amendment? Sure. This amendment is um at the desk and it's titled H3062- SC cs-1 amendment in the nature of a substitute to
▶ 3:27:43HR3062 offered by Mr. Dorchek. Strike all after the enactment. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle lady from North Dakota is recognized for five minutes in support of the AIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm proud to speak today in support of one of my legislative and budgetary priorities, the promoting crossborder energy infrastructure act, which is included in this package today.
▶ 3:28:09For far too long, energy developers have faced an outdated and unpredictable permitting process that has delayed and even canceled critical infrastructure projects, costing taxpayers millions of dollars and weakening American energy security.
▶ 3:28:26Right now, if you want to build a pipeline or transmission line between the US and Canada or the US and Mexico, you're stuck navigating a patchwork of executive orders, undefined agency processes, and shifting political winds. That's no way to build long-term energy infrastructure and increase revenue. We need a crossborder permitting process that increases revenue, provides certainty, and can't be undone with the stroke of a pen.
▶ 3:28:54We all remember the Keystone XL pipeline. One permit approved by President Trump in 2017 and then reversed on day one in the Biden administration. With that single decision, thousands of good paying jobs were lost, many in my state of North Dakota. Keystone XL was set to carry 100,000 barrels of Bakan oil per day. That would have meant real opportunity for North Dakota communities.
▶ 3:29:20More jobs, more tax revenue, and more energy produced right here at home and transported by pipelines, not rail or truck. This legislation will help fix this problem. It requires congressional approval to reverse a crossber project. No more unilateral decisions based on politics.
▶ 3:29:41Instead of relying on presidential permits, we also establish a certificate of crossing, a clear statutory process overseen by FK for oil and gas and DOE for electricity. It puts experts in charge of reviewing these projects.
▶ 3:29:57It sets firm timelines and provides the regulatory certainty developers need to invest, hire, and We're trying to modernize an outdated system that doesn't reflect the complex complexity or importance of today's energy networks. This legislation strengthens America's role as a global energy leader.
▶ 3:30:20It supports job creation, economic growth, and the reliable, affordable energy that families, farmers, and businesses across this country depend on. I urge my colleagues to support this provision and stand with American energy and American workers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Thank you very much. The gentle yields back. Is there discussion on the ANS? For what purpose? Gentleman from New Jersey seek recognition. Speak on the AS.
▶ 3:30:48The gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word. Thank you. I believe my colleague from North Korea just mentioned that the purpose of this bill is to ensure that we don't make unilateral decisions based on politics. But I think that's what we've done or what the majority has done this entire Congress and what this administration has done uh with respect to offshore wind projects throughout the country with respect to tax credits for clean renewable energy.
▶ 3:31:14So, if the purpose of this bill is to make sure that any administration or any um party isn't making unilateral decisions based on politics, then I would expect the majority to be opposed to what the administration is doing when they unwind things that the previous administration has done that is based solely on politics. And what I think so many of us here on this side are looking for is consistency uh from the majority party which so far on this hearing in this entire Congress they have failed to do.
▶ 3:31:44With that I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. Are is there any further discussion? The gentleman from Texas 33rd district is recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word. Mr. Mr Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk labeled AMD uh Could the gentleman please repeat the amendment? It is uh AMD_HR362_35.
▶ 3:32:17Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR. The cler report the amendment. Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute HR3062 offered by Mr. BC page five after line. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for five minutes in support of his amendment. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. And this amendment is very simple.
▶ 3:32:41All it does is clarify that nothing in the bill impacts the scope of any environmental review required under NEPA for a crossborder energy project. Uh this amendment as you know was passed by the house on a voice vote in 2017 when it was offered by uh Jean Green, a former member of this committee from Houston.
▶ 3:33:02Uh and at the time when it was offered uh not even uh our dear friend Mark Wayne Mullen that's now in the Senate uh had anything negative to say about this amendment. I now understand that there are Republicans that will say it's unnecessary and that nothing in the underlying bill impacts the scope of environmental reviews. But the question then becomes why do they remove this language from a bill that passed in a bipartisan manner literally just a few years ago?
▶ 3:33:31I wholeheartedly believe we can find a bipartisan uh durable uh permitting reform uh avenue. Uh but we have to start somewhere. I'm a huge believer that we can that we can do something about permitting reform. I also think that it can start here and with a simple amendment to ensure we're not shortcutting important environmental uh protections. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you very much.
▶ 3:33:56The gentleman yields back and the chair recognizes the gentle lady from North Dakota. Thank you. What purpose? Gentle ladies she seek recognition. I move to strike the last word. Gentle is recognized for five minutes for my last word. Thank you. Uh and with all due respect to my colleague from uh Texas, I would like to speak in opposition to this amen amendment. This amendment is unnecessary and duplicative.
▶ 3:34:24The underlying legislation does not change any environmental law that agencies must follow in issuing certificates for crossborder electric transmission or oil and gas facilities. Let me be abundantly clear. The underlying legislation does nothing to alter the environmental review of these projects. This amendment is simply a messaging exercise and does not functionally change the underlying legislation. So, I urge a no on this amendment and I yield back.
▶ 3:34:57The gentle lady yields back. Is there any further discussion on the amendment? none. A roll call vote has been requested on the amendment. Clerk will call the role. Mr. Weber. Mr. Palmer.
▶ 3:35:28Mr. Palmer votes no. Allen. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger. Mrs. Harshburgger. Mrs. Harshburgger votes no. Mrs. Miller Meeks.
▶ 3:35:58Mr. James. Mr. James votes no. Mr. Bence Mr. Bence votes no. Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr.
▶ 3:36:28Goldman votes no. Miss Fedorch M. Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez.
▶ 3:36:59Mr. Mr. Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss Mlen. Miss Mlen votes I. Migette. Missette. Votes I. Miss Matsui. Miss Matsui. Votes I. Mr. Tonko. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy. Votes I. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss. Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes I.
▶ 3:37:29Mr. Kaziocortez, Miss Kazi Cortez votes I. Miss Rockenclaus. Palone. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada. No. Chairman Lada votes no. The cler uh the clerk will report the Oh, I'm sorry. I'm I'm sorry. Do we have some members that have not reported? Mr. Weber is not recorded.
▶ 3:37:59Mr. Weber votes no. Gentleman from Georgia. Mr. Allen is not recorded. Gentlemen, Gentleman from Texas. Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Fluger is not recorded. Mr. Fluger votes no. Are there any other members wishing to recorded? Hearing none, the clerk will report the result of the role.
▶ 3:38:28Chairman LA on that vote there were 12 eyes and 16 nos. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments? Hearing none. Uh the vote now will occur on the Ames. All those in favor will signify by saying I. I. All oppose. Nay.
▶ 3:38:55The eyes have it and the Ames is agreed to. Is there any further discussion? Question now calls on adopting HR 3062 as amended and a roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will call the Mr. Weber, yes. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr. Mr.
▶ 3:39:25Palmer votes I. Mr. Allen. Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes I. Mrs. Harshburgger. M. Harshburgger votes I. Mrs. Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. James votes I. Mr. Ben. Mr. Ben votes I. Mr. Fry. Mr. Fry votes I. Miss Lee, Mr.
▶ 3:39:54Langworthy, Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes I. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes I. Mr. Forech. Mr. Forech votes I. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes I. Miss Caster. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Menendez. Mr. Mr. Mendez votes no. Mr. Mullen, Mr. Mullen votes no.
▶ 3:40:24Miss Mlullen. Mr. Get Mr. Get votes no. Miss Matsui. Miss Matsui votes no. Mr. Tonko. Mr. Tonko votes no. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes no. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes no. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes no. Mr. Kaziocortez, Mr. Aenclaus, Mr.
▶ 3:40:54Palone, yes. Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman La I. Chairman Lada votes I. All right. And then how how is the g how's the uh gentle lady from Florida, the ranking member of the subcommittee recorded? Miss Caster is not recorded. Miss Caster votes no. And the gentle lady from New York's 14th Miss Miss Aassio Cortez is not recorded. Miss Aassio Cortez votes no. Miss Mlullen is not recorded.
▶ 3:41:25Mlullen votes no. Are there any other members wishing to record their vote? Hearing none, the clerk will report the role. Chairman LA on that vote. There were 16 eyes and 13 nos. Thank you very much. The eyes have it and the bill is adopted. The chair calls up HR1 1949 and asks the clerk to report.
▶ 3:41:53HR1 1949, a bill to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? And for what purpose does the gentleman from Texas's 11th district seek recognition? To speak in favor of the bill. The gentleman is recognized for five minutes speak on the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:42:20Uh HR1949 unlocking our domestic LNG potential act uh is common sense. And um when you look at section three of the natural gas act, it requires that natural gas exports to countries that have a free trade agreement with the United States be approved without delay. And for countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the US, the energy secretary is required to approve export requests unless they find that such exports will not be consistent with the public interest.
▶ 3:42:49Therefore, the Natural Gas Act includes a rebuttal presumption in favor of authorizing US LG exports. In early 2024, after succumbing to political pressure from environmental activists, the previous administration announced a ban on issuing export permits to nonFTA countries while it reviewed the climate impacts of US LNG. And during this ban, America's energy dominance uh took a major hit. Russia overtook the US as the lead gas supplier to Europe.
▶ 3:43:19Long-term American contracts were not only jeopardized, but they are actually damaged uh some of them irreparably. and global buyers were forced to look towards less clean sources. Thankfully, the Trump administration quickly reversed this ban and just last week, DOE issued its first LG export approval. My legislation is simple. The unlocking our domestic LG potential act would ensure the that a ban is never placed on US LG exports again.
▶ 3:43:45By removing DOE from the process, export restrictions would be repealed and LG exports would have equal treatment with other commodities. LG exports unequivocally benefit our economy, domestic prices, our security, and partners and allies around the world that want our product. Congress needs to act to remove the politics from these exports, just as this committee did when it lifted the crude oil export ban in 2015.
▶ 3:44:11The IEA expects global gas demand to reach record highs in the coming years, underscoring the need for new LG supply. And it must be the United States, not Iran, not Russia, not any other adversary, who meets this demand and supplies affordable, clean, and abundant LG to the world. I urge my colleagues to support this very common sense legislation, and to vote in favor of HR1949. I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back as a discussion on the bill.
▶ 3:44:40The chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey, the ranking member of the full committee for five minutes. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk labeled AMD and the clerk will report now reserve a point of order. Amendment to HR1 1949 offered by Mr. Palone at the end.
▶ 3:45:10the following section three fighting corruption this act and the amendments made by this act. I'm sorry without objection the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for five minutes support of the amendment. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Uh my amendment is straightforward.
▶ 3:45:30It says that the bill cannot go into effect until the Department of Energy Inspector General submits a report on the risk of corruption and pay-to-play politics that would arise where the Department of Energy to charge a million dollar fee to instantly declare any export of LG in the public interest.
▶ 3:45:48Now, I understand that um the million-doll fee is in the Republican big ugly bill um uh and that this legislation today would just get rid of the public interest requirement. But the point is that the uh that the department obviously um could under the reconciliation bill uh you know charge that million dollar fee.
▶ 3:46:14And you know the to me this is the ultimate in paytoplay. Um the the reconciliation bill was passed in the dead of night. Uh we were in this room everyone knows for over 24 hours debating. And that bill says as long as you pay $1 million your application and I quote shall be deemed to be in the public interest and such an application shall be granted without modification or delay. And that's a direct quote from the bill that I actually cited that night.
▶ 3:46:44And I just think this is crazy. If you want to export unlimited amounts of LG to China, help them power AI data centers uh but are worried that the Department of Energy won't declare that in the public interest. Well, you just pay a million dollars. Of course, the gentleman's uh bill here goes even further and says we're not even going to look at the public interest. The reconciliation bill says that the fee, the paying of the million dollars satisfies the public interest.
▶ 3:47:11In any case, the whole purpose of both the legislation and the reconciliation bill is to get rid of the public interest requirement. And I've never seen anything like this. You know, you're you're there's no longer any public interest review. And um you know, it really gets bad when you apply this to the LNG exports.
▶ 3:47:32Um, as Republicans are trying to make it clear in their bill before us today, the preferred their preferred energy policy is one where we build fleets of new gas turbines to meet all future power demands. But they also want to send unlimited amounts of natural gas overseas so our compet competitors can use the gas. And that's in my opinion a disastrous recipe to make electricity prices skyrocket.
▶ 3:47:56And the Republicans want to let big oil and gas pay the Department of Energy a million bucks to make it turn its head the other way or just not have it at all. So, as I said uh before that night and now, uh the strategy here is so craven. They're trying to move the bills before us today uh whether through reconciliation or through this bill.
▶ 3:48:17And um I think there's a real possibility of corruption with the with the million-dollar fee and reconciliation, but there's also the the real possibility now that there's no uh an analyst at all of the public interest. And all of that is in order to export more gas, which we've had testimony before the subcommittee on several occasions now say is going to increase the price for Americans.
▶ 3:48:47Um, and for all these reasons, I oppose uh not only this bill, but also the the very idea that the public interest should just be ignored or should you should pay to get rid of your problem with the public interest. Uh if you want to fight back against uh paytoplay, you should support my amendment uh before it's too late. And Republicans have completely sold off the public interest. So I urge support and I yield back. Uh Mr.
▶ 3:49:15Chairman, the gentleman uh yields back. Further discussion on the amendment. Gentleman from Texas 33rd District is recognized. Uh Mr. chairman.
▶ 3:49:35Um, you know, my biggest concern with this, and I hope that the gentleman, uh, my friend from West Texas will have a chance to talk a little bit about this, but, uh, some of the points that the that the ranking member just brought up, uh, my biggest concern, and I've always been a huge proponent of LNG, um, uh, obviously it's made a huge difference in helping, um, Ukraine push back against Russia's unlawful invasion and also help the rest of Europe during during that during the
▶ 3:50:06uh the time that that they find themselves in uh during this unlawful invasion. Uh but the part that worries me about the safeguards to prevent the LG from going to these foreign entities of concern is you know the yesterday the president issued a travel ban that I don't agree with but one of those countries that was mentioned in the travel ban was Iran and I'm trying to figure out why we wouldn't put in safeguards to stop LNG from going to
▶ 3:50:36some place like Iran. um and and and why there's nothing in the bill to address or in this amendment to address any of that. So, that's the biggest concern that I have. Um like I said, big proponent of LNG, but don't understand why we would rush to uh allow entities of concern to uh to have American LNG. I yield back. The gentleman yields back the balance of time.
▶ 3:51:04The gentleman from Texas is Ju just to clear up the point. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This has nothing to do recognized for five minutes. Last just breaking protocol. Sorry about that, Mr. Chairman. Um ju just to clarify uh for my colleague from Texas.
▶ 3:51:24I mean this bill is very specific on countries of concern, entities of concern which um goes back to statute and has countries like Iran and and other countries that we we would be concerned about as excluded. But when we're talking about non-free trade agreement countries, there's only a handful of free trade agreement countries in general.
▶ 3:51:50um most of our NATO allies in fact over 80% of them are not free trade agreement countries. So I just want to make that point that um it it is assumed and that statute we're not disregarding there's no disregarding of of any sort of public interest. Statute is very clear that it's assumed that it's in the public interest which we've done for all other commodities as well. um and just getting to the point of efficiencies.
▶ 3:52:21We we probably wouldn't be here had we not had a politically motivated banning uh and and um exclusion on exporting LG in the previous administration, but we are here and we want to make sure that that we can not ever get to this point again.
▶ 3:52:41Um and to the point of higher prices that that that is not true and we have had multiple people who have testified in front of this committee who have talked about the supply and demand forces of LNG uh and whether it's produced in the Marcelus or the Peran or the Bakan um different production areas we know that those supply and demand forces actually will lower prices which many studies uh have showed us and th those folks have testified in front of this
▶ 3:53:11committee. Um, but this amendment has nothing to do with the substance of HR1949 and HR1949 repeals the restrictions and prevents the political pausation that we saw. Uh, but FK will continue reviewing and authorizing LG export applications pursuant to section three of the Natural Gas Act. So, those are the facts. Um, and not not only that, but it goes through a rigorous review process, including an environmental process as well.
▶ 3:53:40So, I I don't see that really don't even know that this amendment is um gerine to this bill uh to be honest, Mr. Chairman, but uh I'll let you make that decision. Uh I urge a no vote on this amendment and yield back. Thank you. Are there is there any further discussion on the amendment? No further discussion on the amendment. A roll call has been requested on the amendment. The clerk will take the role.
▶ 3:54:15Weber, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Allen, no. Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger Mr. Fluger votes no. M Harshburgger M. Harshburgger votes no. Mrs. Miller Meeks, Mr.
▶ 3:54:44James, Mr. Ben Mr. Ben votes no. Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy Mr. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman Mr. Goldman votes no.
▶ 3:55:14Mrs. Mr. Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes no. Caster Miss Caster Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters Mr. Menendez. Mr.
▶ 3:55:43Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss Mlen. Miss Mlen votes I. Mr. Deette I. Mr. Get votes I. Miss Matsui I. Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonko I. Mr. Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes I. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher.
▶ 3:56:12Miss Fletcher votes I. Miss Aassiocortez. Miss Aassiocortez votes I. Mr. Aenclaus. Mr. Palone. I. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada. No. Chairman Lada votes And we have members wishing may respond to the role. Uh the gentleman from Mr. Palmer votes no. Do we have other members wishing to respond?
▶ 3:56:41The gentleman the the vice chair of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Weber votes no. The gentleman from Mr. James votes no. Any other members wishing to respond to role? Hearing none, the clerk will report the result.
▶ 3:57:13Chairman Lada, on that vote, there were 12 eyes and 16 nos. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments? Uh, for what purpose is the gentleman from California's 15th district seat correct? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk labeled Your clerk will report the amendment.
▶ 3:57:42Amendment to HR1 1949 offered by Mr. Mullen. Strike page one. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes in support of the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Right now, before American companies can export liqufied natural gas, the Department of Energy has to find that those exports are in the public's interests. But this bill would completely eliminate that requirement. My amendment is simple.
▶ 3:58:10It would restore the public interest determination for exports to China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and any other sanctioned nation. We've heard time and again in this subcommittee that we are in an AI race with China. But one of the most important elements of that race is the ability to power the data centers used to train and use AI.
▶ 3:58:32So if it's strategically important for us to beat China in this race, why would we send fuel to China or another competitor for electricity, especially without first checking if it's in the public's interest? I am not a fan of unlimited LNG exports. no matter where in the world they go because it'll make energy bills more expensive for everyday Americans. But I understand my Republican friends have the majority and a different perspective.
▶ 3:58:58So, I'm hoping we can settle on a bipartisan compromise making sure we examine whether it's in the public's interest to send American LG to foreign competitors. And by the way, this isn't a hypothetical concern. China is the world's largest importer of LG and natural gas is powering their entire economy. American and Chinese companies have signed over 20 long-term contracts since 2018 for LNG supply. Many of them set to run for 20 years or longer.
▶ 3:59:27We can't be blind to the strategic risks here and I believe my amendment will help make sure that we aren't. I urge adoption of my amendment and I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. The balance of his time. Is there further discussion on the amendment? Gentleman from Texas's 11th district recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. chairman and and definitely agree with my colleague on the other side of the aisle that we we need to be judicious on the the countries that we are dealing with.
▶ 3:59:58Um the underlying text of this bill still um countries that are sanctioned, those that sponsor terrorism, those that are uh in a in a in a some sort of nefarious state.
▶ 4:00:13So um the I I think this amendment is duplicative again because um the assumption in underlying statute is that it is in the public interest for us to export uh LNG. And furthermore, uh when you look at the production and the benefits of continuing that supply and demand curve, uh we will continue to power AI centers here in the United States.
▶ 4:00:43Um because that is a separate issue that we are working through. But uh I I believe that the the text in 1949 on page three is pretty specific about the countries that we don't want to be sending LNG to, including North Korea, Russia, Iran, um or those that sponsor terrorism. And I'll yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. The chair now recognizes gentle lady from Texas for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:01:10I'll be brief and um I just want to respond um because I I don't agree uh with my with my colleague uh in some of the the underlying um assertions about the benefits of exporting LNG. Um I do think that it is uh in our interest and I have been pretty consistent on this committee and explaining that I think it is in our national interest to export LG.
▶ 4:01:34I have various pieces of legislation including the American Gas for Allies Act trying to get um expedited review of LG um and an assumption that for our NATO allies for Ukraine that we should be exporting LG as quickly as possible and that that is in our national interest. Um but we know that that we have expedited um permitting for countries that we have free trade agreements with and there are a lot of countries that fall outside of that realm.
▶ 4:02:00Um, I disagree that exporting LG increases prices here at home and we have a decade worth of data from of Henry Hub spot pricing that says that it does not increase prices here at home. So, I don't support um this particular amendment for that reason that my colleague articulated.
▶ 4:02:19But I do share the concerns that as I understand it, this legislation removes the determination um about whether um about you know removes the review um of whether it is in our national interest across the board. And I think that for exactly the reasons that Mr. Fluger just stated, it may be um changing over time, but we need to have a provision to make sure that we aren't exporting to Iran or to countries of concern.
▶ 4:02:48Um and that my understanding of this piece of legislation is it it generally removes that. I do believe it's in the national interest. I think that's what the review should confirm, but I think that extra step of making sure that it's in our national interest is an important safeguard in uh in issuing these LG export permits and making sure that it's in our our national interest. So, I just want to flag that issue. I understood from Mr. Fluger um to be saying that that's my understanding the bill may not be right. So, I would love to maybe yield to him if he wants to answer that question. Yeah.
▶ 4:03:18No, I I I am glad to hear that you support the expeditious exporting of Oh, you know, I do. of LG. But that's important because when you look at page three, it is very clear like that this is I I appreciate this amendment, but it's duplicative. It it's already being done.
▶ 4:03:35Nothing says that the president cannot take that action if it is needed, but the Department of Energy uh taking that step out and putting it to fur allowing them to with guard rails on the left and right side of it, if it's not an entity, a country of concern that's not sanctioned, that doesn't have um a tie to terrorism, then it's assumed it's in the public interest. But that that statute is not removed. It still is there. Those those guardrails are still there. So, I just want to be clear that we're we're there's no skipping of steps.
▶ 4:04:04It's just an expeditious process. Um, can I just ask though, but what I'm hearing you say is that we're going to remove this determination at the Department of Energy and send it to the president. Send it to make that and send it to FK to make that determination and and it's assumed unless it is a country of concern, Iran, Russia, North Korea, those that are currently on that nefarious list. So, it's it it is already there. I think this is a duplicative amendment.
▶ 4:04:32Well, it it also occurs to me and I I could tell that my colleagues may also have something to say and I promised I would be brief, but um it does occur to me that in the past the process has worked to coordinate with the State Department to others um and that that has worked at DOE. I agreed with you uh about concerns about the pause um in the last administration and and was pretty clear in this committee about that too. Um but it seems to me that that process for coordinating from the department of energy at that level and with the state department and other energies made sense.
▶ 4:05:02So I don't I don't know that we need to move that although I certainly um appreciate the concerns about what has happened in the past. So I appreciate you're answering my questions. I appreciate you uh giving me the time to raise that issue. And again um I believe that it is in our national interest uh to export LG and um and believe that the determinations at the DOE um on these on this basis will continue to support that conclusion and that it will not increase prices uh for consumers here at home.
▶ 4:05:32Is there any further discussion on the Chair recognizes gentle lady from Florida, member of the subcommittee for five minutes. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh colleagues, if you think of uh the these dirty dozen bills as a conga line today, this is one that's got the kick after one 123 a kick. This is one of the biggies that that will really um so benefit the the dirty polluting uh energy sources.
▶ 4:05:59And uh so I wanted to offer strong support for the amendment offered by Representative Mullen that this amendment simply would restore the public interest test for exports of LG from the United States to certain countries like China. And I have a question for council based upon that last exchange because I think this is very important to have on the record. I understand that FK would still have to permit LG facilities, but this bill totally eliminates the public interest test, right?
▶ 4:06:29This bill would maintain FK's authority currently and makes it the sole um perimeter of um LG export facilities under section three of the natural gas act and does remove the public interest determination through DOE does remove the public interest determination. It does not change the underlying permitting process and NEPA review that that these it removes the public interest uh test that DOE currently put.
▶ 4:06:54So over the past several months, this committee has has spent hours debating how to fortify our energy uh resources to fuel global competition in AI especially, but in manufacturing and electrification, too. We want to make sure that it's the United States that wins the AI race, not our competitors like China.
▶ 4:07:16So, if my Republican colleagues were serious about that competition, then they would agree that we shouldn't be shipping American energy overseas to China to power their AI data centers and manufacturing. China is the largest importer of natural gas, liqufied natural gas in the world. And here's the dirty little secret uh Republicans don't want you to know. Uh China was a significant importer of US LG. uh and we need to shine a spotlight on this.
▶ 4:07:46China has signed many long-term LG contracts with US projects. Uh some of those projects are now coming online. I noticed u my good friend from Texas on the Republican side every time he gave you the list of Iran etc. China was not included.
▶ 4:08:05Um, if all of these projects came online, uh, L US LG would represent up to a quarter of all of China's contracted LG, up from about 3% last year. And, uh, as a member of the House Select Committee on Countering the Chinese Communist Party, at that committee, we've heard over and over again on the dangers of Chinese industrial dominance, how they cheat.
▶ 4:08:30Um, but through this bill, members, House Republicans want to make it easier for China to import US energy to power their industrial sector. They also want to see the next generation of energy technologies to China, as evidenced by the gutting of our clean energy tax credits and all of the initiatives in the bill billionaire boondoggle bill that they passed in the dark of night a couple weeks ago.
▶ 4:08:57It is so hypocritical for Republicans on one hand to to condemn Chinese forced labor, massive subsidies, and intellectual property theft and then on the other to allow massive amounts of US resources to flow to power Chinese factories with on the other hand.
▶ 4:09:16So just last month, every Republican on this committee voted effectively to overturn the clean energy manufacturing tax credit by shortening the timeline for qualification or imposing unworkable restrictions for eligibility.
▶ 4:09:32In doing so, they eliminated a potential for US export markets for solar modules and batteries that could be worth up to $50 billion by If this stands, then those products are going to be made in other countries like China. The US will be shut out of an enormous and rapidly growing global market for lowcarbon technologies. So once again, Republicans want to take us back to the energy policies of the 1970s. It's backwards.
▶ 4:10:03Uh it is not a plan for US um competition for us to win these races. It's not a recipe for the clean for us to dominate the clean energy economy. and it's definitely not a recipe for how to lower cost for the people we represent back home. So, I want to thank Mr. Mullen for offering this important amendment and I urge my colleagues to support it. I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. The chair now recognizes gentleman from Ohio's 12th district. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:10:31I yield my time to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Fluger. The gentleman's recognized. Yeah. I just want to um talk to council here um and cl clarify a point because I think it's important and and this is a this is a good discussion and by no way shape or form are we wanting to go backwards in energy policy. In fact, it's just the opposite. We want to go forwards and we want uh every energy um source to compete uh in in an economically um feasible way.
▶ 4:11:00But um C council, can you answer a question for me when it comes to the underlying uh language because I think there's a Can you tell me where the underlying language uh still states that uh the sanctions list would be maintained?
▶ 4:11:18On page three of the legislation, um, it says, "Nothing in this act limits the authority of the president under the Constitution, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the National Emergencies Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, Part B of Title Two of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, or any other provision of law that imposes sanctions on a foreign person or foreign government, including any provision of law that prohibits or restricts United States persons from engaging in a transaction with a sanctioned p sanctioned person or government, including a country that is designated
▶ 4:11:49as a state sponsor of terrorism to prohibit imports and or andor exports or just exports. So if China is sanctioned, does that apply to them? If China is on the sanctioned um list under the legislation, the statutes that are cited in the legislation, um the president could exercise that authority to um prohibit or or restrict imports or exports of of uh LG. Okay. Um thank you very much.
▶ 4:12:17Um, y back to the gentleman from Ohio. Back to the chairman. Gentleman yields back. Any further discussion? The gentle lady from Virginia is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to clarify something that council said because she was um my ears perked up at how precisely you answered a question from Miss Caster um about the um public interest determination.
▶ 4:12:45And so I'm pay you said that any public interest determination required under any other law would still take place. Is that did I hear you say that correctly? I don't believe I said that. That what I what the intent of the statement was that FK will continue to permit and review these export facilities as authorized under section 3 of the natural gas act.
▶ 4:13:08I'm not familiar with any other public interest interest determinations that are taken in consideration, but this legislation would not impact um legislation that is outside of the natural gas act. Okay. But I want to I want to completely clarify the way this bill is written with and you can look on page two lines 9 through 23. There will be no public interest determination for the projects in this bill. Is that correct? Correct.
▶ 4:13:36projects would be treated similarly to other commodities and be permitted and reviewed by FIRK. Um, but there would not be a public interest determination on the export from So, okay. So, so the building of the project itself would still have to go through any public interest review to see do do we even need this liquid natural gas pipeline or project.
▶ 4:14:07You're saying that this bill would only eliminate whether exporting it would be in the in the public interest. I didn't quite catch the first part, but so correct me if if I misunderstood, but the Okay. Well, let me let me reclaim my time.
▶ 4:14:24So, line nine, it says, "Furt shall have the exclusive authority to approve or deny an application for authorization for the sighting, construction, expansion, or operation of a facility to export natural gas. and on line 17 that that project shall be deemed shall deem the exportation or the importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.
▶ 4:14:52So the way I read that any other review that anybody would have done on the sighting, construction, expansion or operation now is 100% solely to be done by FK. Is that correct? Correct. Which is also consistent with current law. Okay.
▶ 4:15:11But it is only the exportation or importation of natural gas that the deemed to be in the public interest applies to not the building construction etc etc. Is that correct? Correct. The the building and construction as cited under on line 12 to 13 um would not change of FK permitting and reviewing that infrastructure.
▶ 4:15:37uh FK would um but FK would consider the exports to be deemed in the public interest. Okay. But this bill would assume that FK would have the expertise to determine whether an export export or import from a particular country is consistent with our national security interests as set by the Department of Defense. It would take the determination out.
▶ 4:16:04So that it would assume that public interest criteria is met which is stated on lines 18 to 19. So regardless of whether a country is listed in the statute or not, regardless of whether that country has sanctions against them or not.
▶ 4:16:24And let's say there is a country that's not listed, that doesn't have sanctions on it, that because of something that happens, the Department of Defense decides it is not in our national security interest to export LG to this country at this time given what is happening in this instance.
▶ 4:16:48Unless the president decides to impose sanctions on that country, FK can and will ignore the opinion of the Department of Defense. FK is responsible for the the physical facility being constructed and permitted. Um it does not decide the public interest of where cargos go. Um this legislation would take that claiming my time because I don't have enough.
▶ 4:17:16This says that Furt shall deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest. Period. So if there's a situation where the department of s defense says this exportation or importation of liquid natural gas to this country is not in our national security interest, too bad. I yield. The gentle's time has expired.
▶ 4:17:40Are any further discussion on amendment? Hearing none. A roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will call the Weber, Mr. Palmer. Mr. Palmer votes no. Mr.
▶ 4:18:10Allen, no. Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson, Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger, Mr. Fluger votes no. Mrs. Harshburgger Miss Harshburgger votes no. Mrs. Miller Meeks, Mr. James, Mr. Bence, Mr. Bence votes no. Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no.
▶ 4:18:41Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly, no. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans, no. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes no. Mrs. Mrs. Forech votes no. Mr. Guthrie. Mr.
▶ 4:19:10Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster. Yes. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Menendez votes I. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss Mcclullen. Miss Mlullen votes I. Migette.
▶ 4:19:40I. Missette votes I. Miss Matsule. I. Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonko. I Mr. Tonko votes I Mr. Vzy. Mr. Vzy votes I. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher. Miss Fletcher votes I. Mr. Accaziocortez. Miss Accaziocortez votes I. Mr. Oenclaus.
▶ 4:20:10Mr. Palone. Yes. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada. No. Chairman Lada votes no. Other members wishing to respond. The gentleman from Texas, the vice chair of the subcommittee. Mr. Weber is not recorded. Weber votes no. Mr. Weber votes no. Gentleman from Mr. James is not recorded. Mr. James votes no.
▶ 4:20:40The clerk will report the tally. Chairman LA on that vote there were 12 eyes's and 16 nos. Thank you. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there amendments? The gentle lady from Florida, the ranking member of the subcommittee is recognized. Move to strike the last word. It's amendment HR1949-10.
▶ 4:21:13And the clerk will report the amendment. Amendment to HR1 1949 offered by Miss Caster. Add at the end the following. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle lady is recognized for five amendment five minutes in support of the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:21:34Uh, colleagues, I thought about offering an amendment that renamed the bill, the Higher Electric Bills for Americans Act, but instead I'm going to offer this amendment that would prevent the bill from taking effect until the Department of Energy certifies that increased uh fra gas exports from the US will not increase domestic gas prices. U this amendment would simply pause implementation until we know the impact on domestic energy prices.
▶ 4:22:01Um, House Republicans already tried to pass this special interest giveaway in the billionaire boondoggle bill in the dead of night. Uh, I know why you did it at the dead of night because this is going to raise electric bills across the country. while we should be taking up legislation that will lower bills and lower the cost of living for Americans.
▶ 4:22:25Uh but here we are discussing it again today and I'm glad we can do it in the light of day to talk about the price spikes that consumers are about to see under Republican policies and this very uh interesting issue of Republicans supporting gas exports to our adversary in China. If the government wants to approve new large infrastructure projects or export US resources abroad, it's common sense.
▶ 4:22:52They should make sure that those decisions benefit the American people. But this bill removes the important role that the Department of Energy plays in analyzing those decisions. That's not all. Uh Republicans want to go farther. They don't even trust FK, an independent agency with experienced staff to make decisions on its own.
▶ 4:23:13Instead, under this bill, Congress will force FK to find that all gas exports are in the public interest without doing any due diligence and surrendering any federal responsibility. Now, one of the responsibilities that the federal government should have is to ensure that LG exports don't raise costs on working families and business owners.
▶ 4:23:36In December of 2024, the Department of Energy released a study that made it clear continuing to approve FRA gas exports would raise costs on US households. And in addition to the doubling in natural gas costs that the Energy Information Administration expects to see this year, increase e LG exports raises domestic gas prices, electricity prices, and the prices of manufactured goods.
▶ 4:24:04The New York Times reported just yesterday uh in this article, "Electricity prices are surging. The GOP mega bill could push them higher." Uh it says the cost of electricity is rising across the country, forcing Americans to pay more in their monthly bills, manufacturers, and some of Trump's policies are making things worse.
▶ 4:24:26Despite his promises to slash energy prices, uh this week the Senate is taking up the sweeping domestic policy bill already passed in the House. In its current form, that bill would abruptly end most of the Biden era federal tax credits for lowcarbon sources of electricity like wind, solar, batteries, and geothermal. Repealing those credits will increase the average family's energy bill by as much as $400. um according to several studies that I offered for the record earlier.
▶ 4:24:57So, and it and let's I also want to offer for the record, Mr. Chairman, don't just take it from me. Take it from the industrial energy consumers of America. uh they wrote to this committee on uh at the end of April and said about this bill, it's anti-consumer and inconsistent with the intent of Congress to deliver affordable and reliable natural gas and electricity.
▶ 4:25:23It removes the longstanding natural gas consumer protection that Miss Mlen was getting to the bottom of that requires the US Department of Energy to evaluate whether applications to export to non-free trade countries are inconsistent with the public interest. They say as manufacturers who compete with China and are price sensitive, Chinese company LG contracts represent 36% of US LG operating capacity.
▶ 4:25:52We believe US consumers should be a priority over LG customers. Um so I'll offer those for the record and without objection. So ordered and just go back to the fact that you also cannot ignore what uh increased frack gas exports mean to a heating climate given that the large methane and and CO2 pollution are are emitted during the fracking pipeline transport
▶ 4:26:22liquefification overseas shipping and combustion process. It endangers communities. It is fueling the higher cost. The climate crisis isn't just about the weather. It's about our wallets and here we have a chance to take a stand for the wallets of our neighbors back home. We should do so. So I urge you to support my amendment and ultimately vote no on this on this bill. The gentle yields back the balance of her time and the chair now recognizes the gentleman from Texas 11th district for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:26:53And and and prices don't lie. And and I'm glad that we're talking about prices because I think it's very important to talk about prices. And I think when you take a historical look at prices, uh, the facts are 100% in favor of natural gas. In fact, just a couple of months ago, we had all seven independent service operators, ISOs, that testified right here in front of this committee, and every single one of them said that LG is the most efficient, is the cleanest, and is the best fuel to use.
▶ 4:27:23So, I agree with my colleague. Don't take it from me. Take it from them. take it from the testimony of those that that testified. Mr. Chairman, I I want to enter a report uh into the record. It is titled and I have it digitally. I'll get it to the committee. Impact analysis of US natural gas exports on domestic natural gas pricing. It's a 30-page document. I'd like to enter it into the record. Uh without objection. So ordered. Thank you.
▶ 4:27:48in in that um and in other studies it shows that bolstering LG exports actually increases domestic production and it lowers price. Completion of US LG export terminals has had minimal or no impact on short-term domestic natural gas pricing due to the lengthy construction times as well as unique uh long-term financing and contracting structure.
▶ 4:28:09In fact, while LG exports rose by 14 BCF a day between the years 2016 and 2023, the gas production jumped almost double 31 BCF a day. But despite the the total US natural gas consumption almost doubling uh in that period, the 2023 average natural gas price of $2.54 um was the second lowest level in over 35 years.
▶ 4:28:34Between 2007 and 2022, US gross natural gas production grew from virtually non-existent volumes to almost 90 billion cubic feet a day. And the increased lowcost supply base of natural gas enabled the US to export more natural gas, more crude oil, and other petroleum products um that we imported that we used to import.
▶ 4:28:55Uh natural gas prices at the Henry Hub have averaged roughly $410 for the last 10 years, which is a reduction of 54% compared to the prior decade. So I'm glad that we're talking about prices. I'm glad to know that this subject uh is important. Um but again, don't take it from me. Take it from those who have testified in front of this committee, the seven independent service operators who are looking at the mixture of electricity and what power what is powering electricity every single day.
▶ 4:29:23The reason that we are here, the reason we're having this discussion is because the prior administration chose to pick winners and losers and they picked sources. Let's let these sources compete. Let's let them have it out on what is most efficient, what provides Americans the most affordable solutions.
▶ 4:29:45And as they have testified many times and as the document that I submitted for the record shows because the prices do not lie that producing natural gas in the United States not only is 40% cleaner than other countries such as Russia, but it also brings the price down. And I'll yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment? Hearing none.
▶ 4:30:12A roll call has been requested on the amendment and the clerk will take the Mr. Weber, no. Mr. Weber votes no. Mr. Palmer, no. Mr. Palmer votes no. Mr. Allen. Mr.
▶ 4:30:40Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger Mr. Fluger votes no. Mrs. Harshburgger. Mrs. Harshburgger votes no. Mrs. Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr.
▶ 4:31:09James votes no. Mr. Bence. Mr. Bence votes no. Mr. Fry. Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly. No. Mr. Roelly votes no. Mr. Evans. No.
▶ 4:31:40Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman Mr. Goldman votes no. Miss Fedorch. Mrs. Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster. Yes. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Yes. Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen. I. Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss. Mlullen.
▶ 4:32:08Miss Mcclullen votes I. Miss Deette I. Mr. Dette votes I. Miss Matsulei I. Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonkco. Uh, I Mr. Tonko votes I. Mr. Vzy. Miss Shrier. Hi. Miss Shrier votes I. Fletcher. Mr. Kaziocortez. I Mr. Kaziocortez votes I. Mr. Aenclaus. Mr. Palone I.
▶ 4:32:39Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada no. Chairman LA votes no. Are there any other members wishing to record their vote? Hearing none. The clerk will report the role. Chairman LA. On that vote there were 11 eyes and 16 nos. Uh the amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments?
▶ 4:33:08No more amendments hearing none. The question now occurs on HR1949 and a roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will conduct the Mr. Weber I. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr. Palmer I. Mr. Palmer votes I. Mr. Allen I. Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Balderson Mr.
▶ 4:33:38Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes I. Mrs. Harshburgger. Mrs. Harshburgger votes I. Mrs. Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. James votes I. Mr. Bence. Mr. Bence votes I. Mr. Fry. Mr. Fry votes I. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. I Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly.
▶ 4:34:10Mr. Evans. I Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman Mr. Goldman votes I. Mrs. Forech. Mrs. Forech votes I. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes I. Miss Caster. No. Miss Caster votes no. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Mendez Mr. Menendez votes no. Mr. Mullen.
▶ 4:34:41Mr. Mullen votes no. Miss Mlen. Miss Mlen votes no. Miss Digette. No. Missette votes no. Miss Matsui. No. Miss Matsule votes no. Mr. Tonko. No. Mr. Tonko votes no. Mr. Vzy. Miss Shrier, no. Miss Shrier votes no. Miss Fletcher. Accaziocortez.
▶ 4:35:11Miss Accaziocortez votes no. Mr. Aenclaus. Mr. Palone. No. Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman Lada. I. Chairman Lada votes I. Are there any other members wishing to record their vote? All right.
▶ 4:35:40How's the gentleman from Texas 33rd District recorded? Mr. Vzy is not Mr. Vzy votes no. How's the gentle lady from Texas 7th District recorded? Miss Fletcher is not Miss Fletcher votes Any other members?
▶ 4:36:05Hearing none, the clerk will report the role. Chairman Lada on that vote. There were 15 eyes and 13 nos.
▶ 4:36:19The eyes have it and the bill is Chair calls up HR 3668 and asks the clerk to report 3668, a bill to promote inter agency coordination for review. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. So ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:36:47Uh, for what purposes the gentleman from Texas, the vice chair of the subcommittee seek recognition? I like to be recognized as fake. The last word gentleman is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. HR 3668 brings much needed transparency and coordination between agencies involved in the permitting of interstate natural gas lines. FK is the lead agency for permitting and citing natural gas pipelines.
▶ 4:37:17This legislation would strengthen FK's role by requiring schedules, simultaneous reviews, and more enforcement authority to resolve disputes between the agencies. Currently, interstate pipeline project developers face significantly regulatory challenges. In fact, in fact, only five petroleum liquid pipelines were completed in 2024. Let that sink in.
▶ 4:37:45with the only interstate piping being pipeline being a refined product pipeline. In order to meet project projected energy demand, it is imperative that Congress take action to build out critical energy infrastructure like pipelines.
▶ 4:38:05Despite FK being given increased authority under Energy Policy Act of 2005, pipeline infrastructure approvals are consistently delayed due to a lack of coordination between agencies throughout the permitting process. Under 3668, stakeholders would come to the table earlier so they can identify any concerns early on in that process.
▶ 4:38:33From there, agencies participating in the permitting process would perform their analysis while complying with the schedules established by FK. This legislation would also improve public transparency by requiring FK to publish the schedule for the relevant application and list a list of all completed and outstanding actions required by those agencies.
▶ 4:39:00Additionally, this legislation would improve the water quality review by moving that responsibility from states to FK. Instead of an applicant being responsible for receiving a Clean Water Act section 401 certification from a state, FK would now incorporate that in its NEPA review. FK would still consider terms or conditions proposed by the states involved in the process and would include those necessary for compliance with the underlying statute.
▶ 4:39:31This legislation maintains a state's authority to raise and remedy legitimate water quality concerns while bringing more predictability to the process.
▶ 4:39:45If we want to reduce Americans energy costs and I hope we all do win the win the IA race against China again I hope we all want to do that and we want to maintain our nation's position as an energy superpower hope we all want to do that it is absolutely critical that we have policies in place to facilitate pipeline buildout and not in five years not in 10 years but in the immediate future this energy and technology battle is going to
▶ 4:40:15one within the next five years. Let that sink in. Mr. Chairman, I urge a yes vote and I yield back. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. Further discussion on the bill. Is are there any amendments? Um, Mr. For purposes, gentle lady from Virginia seek recognition. I have an amendment at the desk label AMD_HR3668_28.
▶ 4:40:51The clerk will report on the amendment. 29 sorry 29. Amendment to HR 3668 offered by Miss Mlullen. Page 15 after line nine. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is is dispensed with and the gentle lady is recognized for five minutes in support of her Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:41:16Um, this amendment is very similar to one that ranking member Palone had to the previous bill. So, I think I know how this is going to go, but it would prevent the bill from taking effect until we fully understand uh any risk of corruption uh if FK charges a $10 million fee for automatic approval of a natural gas pipeline.
▶ 4:41:39It also requires the DOE's inspector general to report to Congress how this policy could threaten the integrity of both DOE and FK's perbitting process. Um, this this is a blatant pay-to-play or payto-pollute scheme that was adopted as part of the the billionaire bonus budget bill um a couple of weeks ago.
▶ 4:42:04And under that proposal, if any company gives FK a $10 million check, they get special treatment. Um, FK must approve applications within a year uh or they'll be deemed approved anyway. And this doesn't just short circuits the permitting process, it it basically destroys it, slams the door on judicial review by severely restricting who can even bring a lawsuit.
▶ 4:42:29Um, and I would say it it flies in the face of anyone who thinks that we should be adopting anti-corruption um, proposals going forward rather than proposals that encourage or uh, facilitate corruption.
▶ 4:42:48And I would say over the past few m months, whether it's paying, you know, paying a campaign contribution and then having your son pardoned, whether it is accepting a $4 million plane from a foreign country in violation of the Constitution, or paying $10 million to get automatic approval of a pipeline, this is not what the American people expect of our government
▶ 4:43:18that seeks to have transparency, the rule of law, and and basic fairness. And so, we've seen what happens when pipeline projects are are are slammed down your throat. Um, in 2023, as part of the debt ceiling deal, the Mountain Valley pipeline got rubber stamped. This is a project that was that had bipartisan opposition in Virginia.
▶ 4:43:46Um the pipeline went through Republican areas of the state. They were strongly opposed to it. Their elected representatives on both sides of the aisle were strongly opposed to it because already in the construction of that pipeline, it was doing significant damage to the environment causing erosion and increased settlement and stream beds. uh they had been cited for numerous water quality violations.
▶ 4:44:17Um, as the con as the pipeline was being constructed, nearby residents observed um numerous environmental impacts that included decreased water quality, increased erosion, new flooding patterns, unexpected death of live livestock, livestock, uh, landslides being triggered because the plan that Mountain Valley had to construct that pipeline over the particular geography they were trying to do It didn't
▶ 4:44:47make sense. And yet, if Mountain Valley Pipeline, if they had just sent paid um, it would have been approved no matter what, just like it was approved. 10 million, sorry, $10 million. It would have been approved just like it was automatically approved by Congressional Fiat. And this cuts the public out of the process altogether.
▶ 4:45:15Um, and one of the reasons the Mountain Valley pipeline was so unpopular was because by the time the people who would be impacted found out about it, it was so far down the process, they had no meaningful way to participate. And I just think we should pause and see how is this pay to pollute provision going to play out before we further fasttrack uh pipeline projects. And with that, I yield back.
▶ 4:45:43The gentle lady yields back the balance for her time. Mr. Chairman now recognizes the gentleman from Texas, the vice chair of the subcom. The last word. Thank you, sir. I want to speak in opposition to this amendment. I remember Shakespeare once said about a gentleman me think the gentleman do protestth too much. I think the gentle lady protestth too much. This amendment has nothing to do with the substance of HR 3668.
▶ 4:46:12This amendment is not applicable to this legislation and there is no 10 a million dollar fee included in the underlying bill. HR 3668 would simply and quite frankly importantly improve coordination among federal and state agencies reviewing the applications for the construction of interstate pipelines.
▶ 4:46:40The FIRK process includes, excuse me, rigorous, let me repeat that, the Ferg process includes rigorous environmental reviews under NEPA and other statutes for that matter. Nothing in this bill, nothing in this bill alters FK's review of these projects. Nothing alters states ability and influence when participating in these reviews. I want to remind all my colleagues, we're looking at energy needs.
▶ 4:47:10We're going to have data centers. We're going to have more industry, more companies. We can't afford long unnecessary delays. At any point, at any rate, I urge a no vote on this amendment, Mr. Chairman, and I yield discussion, the gentleman from California is recognized for five. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I yield to my colleague from Virginia. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 4:47:34You know, I I know my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to legislate in a vacuum, but we don't live in a vacuum. And the provision from the reconciliation bill, if it becomes law, you you have to read these bills together. And what that provision said is if you pay a $10 million fee to Fer, you're automatically approved for a national natural gas pipeline permit.
▶ 4:48:04Doesn't matter what this bill says because that they will both be law. And when the when and if it ever gets to the Supreme Court, and I don't know if it will because you're limiting the ability to file lawsuits, um they're going to assume that Congress meant both. the gentleoman yield on this in a minute.
▶ 4:48:26Um, and so whether the underlying bill has the $10 million provision or not, if it becomes law, it's going to supersede this. And yes, we need more energy, and yes, we need data centers, but we have got the whole point of environmental reviews is we can't kill people in the process. We can't kill our planet in the process.
▶ 4:48:54And you think you think we've got national security issues if we don't win the race to AI or if we don't meet our energy um goals or or requirements. You wait and see what the national security implications are of more and more people trying to live on less and less habitable land. more and more people trying to get access to water.
▶ 4:49:24That is the whole purpose of our environmental protection laws because we had rivers on fire. We have got to strike that balance and saying to someone whether in this bill or not because it's going to apply to the same projects covered by this bill you just pay $10 million go forth and do whatever you want is irresponsible. And now I yield to Miss Cast. Well thank you Miss Mlullen.
▶ 4:49:53It just occurred to me if we're going to quote Hamlet that maybe you want to think about to be or not to be. That is the question. But here you've kind of turned that on its head. It's to be or not to be. Pay $10 million and get out of jail free car. Get expedite. And you're so right. It just fits right in with the culture of corruption that we've seen uh over the past five months here. Uh people are outraged by it.
▶ 4:50:18And I just I'm grateful to you that you're you're willing to offer this amendment to to shine a light on this pay to pollute provision. Thank you. Y back to Does the gentlemanly y or gentleman yield back? Yield back. Gentleman yields back. The chair now recognizes the gentleman from Georgia's 12th district for five minutes. Mr.
▶ 4:50:42Chair, I move to strike last word to speak against ino opposition to the amendment in favor of the representative Hudson's bill HR 3668. Without objection. Without objection. Okay. Um, you know, I don't and I'm listening to the amendment and and it sounds like you don't have the right bill, but at any rate, I think my colleague, Mr.
▶ 4:51:10Weber, uh, pointed that out. But let me just state that we have an abundance of natural gas in our c country. Uh, and we've got to get it from point A to point B. And every expert says the safest way to do that is through a pipeline. Uh obviously you can put it on the road, the interstate or you can put it on a rail car, but by far the safety record of pipelines exceeds rail and car.
▶ 4:51:40So we got to move this stuff and we got to get it converted to LNG. You know, right now it's in a gas going through a pipeline. It's not a liquid. Uh when it gets converted to LNG, it becomes a liquid. It is critical that we build up our infrastructure and pipeline capacity is the way to do that.
▶ 4:52:07We have heard it witnesses hearing after hearing. We need to address permitting for natural gas pipelines and Mr. Hudson's bill does does just that. HR 368 improves coordination between federal and state agencies when reviewing applications for the construction of interstate national uh natural gas pipelines.
▶ 4:52:32Specifically, this bill would strengthen the federal energy regul regulatory commission's fk rule under the natural gas act by requiring set schedules, concurrent reviews, and the establishment of dispute resolution processing among permitting agencies. The legislation would also improve water quality reviews by shifting the review responsibility defer while still requiring the incorporation of necessary terms of conditions proposed by the relevant states in the final certification.
▶ 4:53:02This is a step in the right direction to fix the permitting process for natural gas pipelines to ensure we are providing reliable and affordable energy to our communities. I urge support of this I urge opposition to this amendment and support of this bill and with that I yield back. Thank you very much. Gentlemen yields back. Is there any further discussion on the amendment? Hearing hearing none.
▶ 4:53:29A roll call has been requested and the clerk will call the role. Mr. Weber. No ma'am. Mr. Weber votes no. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Allen, uh, no. Mr. Allen votes no. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger. Mr.
▶ 4:53:58Fluger votes no. Mrs. Harshburgger. Mrs. Harshburgger. No. Mrs. Harshburgger no. Mrs. Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. James votes no. Mr. Bence Mr. Bence votes no. Mr.
▶ 4:54:29Fry. Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Roelly, Mr. Evans, no. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman Mr. Goldman votes no. Mrs. Fedorch, Mrs. Fedorch votes no. Mr.
▶ 4:54:58Guthrie Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster, yes. Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters, Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Mendez I. Mr. Mendez votes I. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen. Votes I. Miss. Mlen. I. Miss. Mlen. Votes. I. M. Digette. Hi. Missette. Votes. I. Miss Matsui. I.
▶ 4:55:28Miss Matsui. Votes. I. Mr. Tonko. I. Mr. Tonko. Votes. I. Mr. Vzy. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher. Miss Accassiocortez. Miss Aassiocortez votes I. Mr. Aenclaus. Mr. Palone I. Mr.
▶ 4:55:56Palone votes I. Chairman Lada. No. Chairman Lada votes no. Are there members wishing to record their vote? The gentleman from Mr. Palmer is not recorded. Mr. Palmer votes no. Any other members? Hearing none, the clerk will take the role.
▶ 4:56:30Chairman Lada, on that vote there were 11 eyes and 15 nos. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there further amendments? Uh, for what purposes? Gentleman from New Jersey seek recognition. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk labeled AMD_HR3668_25. The clerk will report the amendment.
▶ 4:56:58Amendment to HR 3668 offered by Mr. Menendez. Strike page seven line one. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for five minutes in support of the amendment. Thank you, chairman. The Clean Water Act grants states the right to permit activities in their waters. If you don't follow the Clean Water Law in a given state, you don't get a permit. Pretty straightforward.
▶ 4:57:24Unfortunately, after we had our legislative hearing on this bill, Republicans snuck in a provision that would strip states of their right to enforce their clean water laws for natural gas pipelines. I think that's plain wrong and hypocritical. My amendment would remove that provision and protect states rights to enforce clean water laws for natural gas pipelines.
▶ 4:57:45Furthermore, my amendment adds language making this crystal clear that nothing in this bill should affect states ability to regulate their own rivers, lakes, and waters under their own laws. In a letter to Congress, a coalition of groups, including the Western Governor's Association, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and the Council of State Governments, urged congressional leaders to spike any bill that quote would diminish, impair, or subordinate states ability to manage or protect water
▶ 4:58:15quality within their boundaries. States have primary legal authority over the allocation, administration, protection, and development of their water resources. responsible growth and development as well as proper environmental management depend upon the recognition and preservation of state stewardship. End quote. This isn't a hypothetical issue.
▶ 4:58:37The president has attempted to extort the state of New York into approving two gas pipelines, but one of those pipelines would run through New Jersey and through our state's waters, which are vital to our economic and environmental well-being. Five years ago, New Jersey said the pipeline didn't comply with its clean water laws. Now, Donald Trump and Republicans don't want New Jersey to have a say anymore.
▶ 4:59:03And this comes at a time when the party of states rights, the Republicans have consistently taken actions this Congress and in this committee to force their agenda on individual states, taking away states rights to regulate how they see fit. As mentioned earlier in our reconciliation markup, there's a 10-year moratorum on states rights to regulate AI.
▶ 4:59:27And as I mentioned earlier, one of our colleagues from Georgia said that if she had read the bill, uh she's admitt admit uh admittantly opposed to this and is a violation of state rights and I would have voted no if I had known this was in there. She goes on to state state we should be reducing federal power and preserving state power.
▶ 4:59:49And this is the the hypocrisy and the hypocrisy of Republicans because they invoke states rights when they don't want to have a federal plan for women to have access to reproductive care. They invoke states rights when they don't take any federal action to end the scourge of gun violence across our country.
▶ 5:00:11But when it comes to the environment, when it comes to clean water, when it comes to their friends in the oil industry and giving them a boost, they suddenly don't care about allowing states to make and enforce their own laws. So, it's a simple message to Republicans on this amendment. If you care about your state having a state a say, I urge you to support my amendment. If you care about your state legislatores being able to write their own environmental laws, I urge you to support my amendment.
▶ 5:00:39If you care about your constituents having access to clean water, I urge you to support my amendment. And if you care about big companies not being able to buy their permits, I urge you to support my amendment. I yield back. Thank you very much. The gentleman yields back. And uh why for what purposes? Gentleman from Texas seek recognition. Chairman, I would like to speak in opposition to the men. Move. Strike the last word. The gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Strike the last word. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 5:01:09Here we go. Here we go again. Another amendment that would This amendment would actually allow bad state actors to continue their efforts to block pipeline development by rejecting Clean Water Act 401 certifications. Oh gosh. States have for too long, Mr.
▶ 5:01:31Chairman, states have weaponized section 401 of the Clean Water Act to block the construction of pipelines that would have provided clean and reliable energy to the American people at affordable prices. NEPA already requires FIRK to extensively consider water water quality impacts and the NGA authorizes FK to include mitigation conditions in certificates to reduce project impacts.
▶ 5:02:00The underlying language preserves the authority of states to raise legitimate water quality concerns, but prevents states from using water quality concerns as a pretext to block projects for political reasons. Let me reiterate, it will not allow states to use quality concerns as a pretext to block projects purely for political reasons. Mr.
▶ 5:02:28Chairman, this amendment would reverse this amendment would gut and reverse that important policy change. If we want to continue to lead the world in emission reductions, and we do, and energy production, and we do, we must build our pipeline infrastructure to deliver American energy to all consumers. For my colleagues, I urge a no vote on the amendment, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.
▶ 5:02:56Will the gentleman y gentleman yielded back u further Uh the gentle lady from California is recognized. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word and speak in support of this amendment. As my colleague from New Jersey has explained, this bill would gut section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
▶ 5:03:21This will strip away state's authority to block projects that worsen water quality, endangering my constituents and Americans across the country. We're talking about clean water here. This is fundamental to public health. In California, we know how precious water is. Nearly 40 million Californians rely on it for drinking, farming, and daily living. It keeps our communities growing and our economy running.
▶ 5:03:49It grows fresh California fruit and vegetables for American kitchen tables across the country. It supports some of the most unique and beautiful natural wonders anywhere in the world. In California, we do not take clean water for granted. We've spent decades carefully managing our water supply and we're not about to let Republicans take that away.
▶ 5:04:13These Republicans attack on clean water are all too familiar, but it reveals a hypocrisy. My Republican colleagues are tripping over themselves to defend states rights until states use that authority to protect the environment. When conservative states sue to block federal environment laws is freedom. But where are those tireless defenders of liberty?
▶ 5:04:40when states like California assert their right to clean water and air. Turns out there isn't really this really isn't about freedom or states rights. It's all just a guise to strip away environmental protections that inconvenience big oil and other corporations. Unfortunately, this is all part of a trend.
▶ 5:05:04Just two weeks ago, Republicans stripped California of its authority to clean up vehicle pollution in our state despite the nonpartisan government accounting office and the state parl Senate parliamentarian ruling that this move was illegal. What happened to states rights? What happened to federal overreach? Once again, Republicans are making clear they will break the law and overturn decades of president.
▶ 5:05:33they will abandon their principles and sell out their constituents just to keep fueling all companies greed. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and I yield back the balance of my time. The gentle lady yields back the balance of her time and any further discussion on amendment. What purposes? Gentle lady from Virginia seek recognition. Uh, speaking to the amendment, the gentle lady is recognized.
▶ 5:06:02Again, read the language of the bill. The the bill does not say this prohibits states from denying projects solely based on political reasons. It says they're not going to be involved to begin And water quality matters. I'll take you back to the Mountain Valley pipeline.
▶ 5:06:28Because of a poorly planned construction plan over unique terrain, MVP acrewed over 350 violations of water quality protections in Virginia. That wasn't political.
▶ 5:06:44You you had residents who saw flooding, new erosion pattern, the death of livestock on their properties because they were drinking poisoned water.
▶ 5:07:00And this bill basically says to a state, you have no ability to look at this project to determine whether it's going to impact water quality in your And that's just simply taking a chainsaw to where if there is a problem, a scalpel will do. But that's apparently theme of 2025. Um, and with that, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey. I I thank my colleague for yielding.
▶ 5:07:30I just have a question for my colleague from Texas. Just on a quick search, the internet would suggest that you're a vocal advocate for state rights. That you've been quoted as saying federal regulation is killing the economic agend engine that keeps our nation great and running. I'm just curious, are you an advocate for state rights or are you not? It's a yes or no question if you'd like to answer. I'm just glad you can read.
▶ 5:07:58I yield Well, thank you. Uh but if you don't want to answer the question because the amendment is simply titled preserving state authority. So if you want to be consistent with states rights, this is an easy amendment to support. If you choose not to, then I think it just shows your constituents how you're inconsistent based on whether you're serving big oil or serving your constituents um benefit. I yield back. Gentlemen yields back. Any further discussion on the amendment?
▶ 5:08:29I yield back. Hearing none. No further discussion. The vote occurs on the amendment. A roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will call the role. Mr. Weber, as one who can read, I say no. Mr. Weber votes no. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Allen. Mr.
▶ 5:08:58Allen votes no. Balderson Mr. Balderson votes no. Mr. Fluger Mrs. Harshburgger Mrs. Harshburgger votes no. Mrs. Miller Meeks Mr. James Mr. James votes no. Mr.
▶ 5:09:27Ben Mr. Vince votes no. Mr. Fry Mr. Fry votes no. Miss Lee Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes no. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes no. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Goldman votes no.
▶ 5:09:58Mrs. Mr. Fedorch. Mrs. Fedorch votes no. Mr. Guthrie Mr. Guthrie votes no. Miss Caster Miss Caster votes I. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes I. Mr. Menendez. As someone who can both read and recognize inconsistencies across the aisle, I vote I. Mr. Mendez votes I.
▶ 5:10:28Mr. Mullen Mr. Mullen votes I. Miss Mlen Miss Mlen votes I. Mr. Dette I. Mr. Get votes I. Miss Matsui I. Miss Matsui votes I. Mr. Tonko I. Mr. Tonko votes I. Vzy. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes I. Miss Fletcher.
▶ 5:10:57Kaziocortez Mr. Kaziocortez votes I. Mr. Mr. Palone. Mr. Palone votes I. Chairman Lada I. I'm sorry. No. Chairman Lada votes no. Uh do we have other members? The gentleman from Alabama. Mr. Palmer is recorded. Votes. Mr.
▶ 5:11:27Palmer votes no. Gentleman from Texas. Mr. Fluger is not recorded. Mr. Fluger votes no. Are there any other members wishing to record their vote? Hearing none, the clerk will report the Chairman LA on that vote there were 11 eyes's and 15 nos.
▶ 5:11:58Thank you very much. The amendment is not agreed to. Any further amendments? Hearing none. Question now occurs on adopting HR 3668. All those in favor and roll call vote has been requested. U clerk will um report will call the role. Mr. Weber. Yep. Mr. Weber votes I. Mr. Palmer. Mr. Palmer votes I. Mr. Allen.
▶ 5:12:29Mr. Allen votes I. Mr. Balderson. Mr. Balderson votes I. Mr. Fluger. Mr. Fluger votes I. Mrs. Harshburgger. Mrs. Harshburgger votes I. Mrs. Miller Meeks. Mr. James. Mr. Mr. James votes I. Mr. Bence Mr. Bence votes I. Mr. Fry. Mr.
▶ 5:12:59Fry votes I. Miss Lee. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy votes I. Mr. Roelly. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans votes I. Mr. Goldman. Mr. Mr. Goldman votes I. Mrs. Fedorch. Mrs. Forech votes I. Mr. Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie votes I.
▶ 5:13:30Miss Caster. Miss Caster votes no. Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters votes no. Mr. Mendez. Mr. Mendez votes no. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen votes no. Miss Mlen. Miss Mlen votes no. Mr. Get no. Mr. Get votes no. Miss Matsui no. Miss Matsui votes no. Mr. Tonko no. Mr. Tonko votes no. Mr.
▶ 5:14:02Vzy. Miss Shrier. Miss Shrier votes no. Missiocortez. Missiocortez votes no. Mr. Claus, Mr. Palone, Mr. Palone votes no. Chairman Lada Chairman Lada votes I. I'm sorry.
▶ 5:14:33Do we have any members wishing to record the vote? The uh clerk will report the role. Chairman Lada, on that vote there were 15 eyes and 11 nos. Thank you very much. The eyes haven't. The bill is adopted. Without objection, staff is authorized to make technical and conforming changes to the to the legislation approved by the subcommittee today.
▶ 5:15:00And I just want to say uh thank you very much for all the subcommitteees members attention today. Really appreciate it. And uh so ordered and without objection, the subcommittee stands journed.