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

thank you to our Witnesses for appearing before the subcommittee today we look forward to your testimony affordable reliable energy is foundational to everything that we do it's key for our national security and for the prosperity of American families businesses and communities from the manufacturer and production of everyday Goods we need to take care of our families to the power necessary to keep homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer it starts with energy over the past two years the Energy and Commerce Committee has led the way to expose how the Biden Harris administration's war on American energy is fueling the out-of- control inflation that is hurting our financial security and the Financial Security of the American people we have examined how the administration's radical rush to Green agenda and regulations are threatening our national security and our economic growth by restricting energy expansion by shutting down reli Bas load power generation and replacing it with unreliable expensive generation and by driving up the cost of mobility and Home Ownership putting the American Dream Out Of Reach for many we've also examined how the radical Biden Harris EPA has set new emission standards at levels that will make it nearly impossible to permit the expansion or building of new Manufacturing in most of the country crushing good paying jobs and and further driving up the cost of our Goods this administration's war on American Energy impacts every aspect of our lives and hardworking Americans are facing the consequences every day from the gas pump to the grocery store today American families pay on average 30% more for electricity 25% more for gas to heat their homes 56 56% more for gasoline to fuel their cars as they did in January of 2021 right now families are paying the largest portion of their income on food in 30 years I recently read about a mom living in North Carolina who said quote sometimes I have to choose whether I'm going to pay the light bill or do I pay all the rent or buy food or not let my son do a sport it doesn't have to be this way and it shouldn't be this way in my home state of Washington the average family is paying over ,000 more per month $1,000 6 in fact on average than they did in January 2021 for the same goods and services and that's according to the Joint economic committee that adds up to more than $27,000 in additional spending due to inflation since the start of the Biden Harris Administration in California it's even worse on average households have spent $35,000 more since this Administration took over and in spite of all of this the Biden Harris Administration has doubled down on its radical policies today we will focus on how the administration's rush to Green energy policies contribute to the high cost Americans face every day across the board and the resulting consequences on families and businesses without taking action to promote American Energy expansion there is tremendous uncertainty for our future while the United States has regained its leadership in oil and gas production thanks to the pro-american energy policies of the previous administration current restriction led by the Biden Harris Administration on future energy production jeopardizes this success the administration's increased taxes increased regulations limits on drilling puts us on a path not to be able to meet America's growing needs check the facts there's an important choice we need to make moving forward we can continue down the path of energy restrictions reduced reliability and unaffordable cost or we can choose the path path of energy dominance security and economic Prosperity I believe the choice is obvious we must focus on advancing policies that reduce costs for American families and businesses and that begins with unleashing American energy production to lower cost make life more affordable and reject the Biden Harris administration's rush to Green agenda let's stand up for American values the values of free market competition the values of innovation the values of in environmental stewardship those are our values and that's how we win the future I yield back ch