Chair Duncan Opening Remarks on Biden-Harris Administration’s Agenda Raising Energy Prices

we welcome you to today's hearing from gas to groceries Americans pay the price of the Biden and Harris energy agenda today we're going to review the past four years to examine how record high energy prices have impacted American families and their pursuit of the American dream since the beginning of this Congress members of this subcommittee have attended numerous hearings and roundtables focus on the issues that impacted our everyday lives since day one the Biden herit Administration has waged a war on American Energy and the results have been devastating the facts are undeniable inflation has surged out of control price levels remain unacceptably high and it all began with energy Energy's foundational records have been set with historically high prices for gasoline diesel fertilizers and many fossil fuel-based Commodities supply chain shortages have rippled across the economy affecting everything from computer chips to toilet paper Americans are paying more for groceries for their housing they're paying high credit card bills higher than when the administration took over massive government spending and tax subsidies have distorted energy markets and have destabilized our electric grid and government spending is a huge driver of inflation who pay pays the price for all this every American rich and poor the upper class the middle class the lower class they're paying more and getting less under the Biden Harris agenda Americans are suffering under the administration's energy policies energy powers our economy the cost of energy fossil fuels and electricity is embedded in everything that we buy from gas to groceries everything cost a lot more than it did just four years ago now my Democrat colleagues may not want to admit it but American families are feeling the pain inflation grocery bills housing cost these are real issues that people are talking about around their kitchen tables these are issues that the people care about today's hearing will give members an opportunity to hear the stories of Americans on the front line of the Biden Harris administration's American Energy War we will learn about and how the American dream is being threatened by energy and economic policies that prioritize a global climate agenda over American families their standard of living and quality of life we'll he hear how Federal regulations targeting fossil fuel production and electric generation are resulting in record shattering electricity bills enforced power outages we'll also learn why our groceries cost so much more now than they did just four years ago we'll examine the false promises of a green transition and why claims of price gouging are another distraction from the administration's failed policy agenda prices are high because of the built-in cost of energy and commodities these Trends are directly related to the policy IES of this Administration now we're going to hear from the other side of the aisle that oil and gas production is at record highs and honestly that's great because Global demand for energy is only increasing but the Biden hais administration had nothing to do with that most of these increases have come on State and private land and oil and gas projects don't pop up the ground overnight and they don't pop up the ground in four years from the time of a Discovery to expiration to development of a well to bringing that production online takes years and years and the production increases we're seeing now are based on the policies of past administrations not this one that started day one targeting the American fossil fuel and energy sector we can talk about cancellation of offshore leases and leases on federal lands fewer lease sells on the OCS by this Administration and its 5year plan than we've ever seen they've had a war on energy wanting to stop LG exports with their polls we've discussed a lot of this and taking credit for increased production today is like the rooster taking credit for the sunrise it happened because of something else not this administration's policy this administration's only tried to th oil and gas production a process that takes multiple years today's hearing highlights this subcommittee's work in this Congress we've held dozens of hearings and with expert Witnesses and administration offical officials we've explored the issue sector by sector across jurisdiction and a consistent lesson has emerged increasing the supply of energy and reducing regulatory roadblocks to ease the cost of delivering energy produces a powerful driver for the economy and lowest prices Republicans have worked on this we've also passed important legisl like hr1 lower energy cost act to reform the energy pering process and reverse these harmful regulations that threaten our economic growth here in America we still have important work to do and I hope to use the remainder of this Congress to push these important reforms over the Finish Line with that I want to thank the witnesses for being here today I'll yield back and recognize the ranking member