Chairman Latta Delivers Opening Statement at Energy Markup

Welcome to today's subcommittee markup to consider eight bills to lower costs for households and promote innovation in our electric sector while ensuring the United States remains in pole position to win the race with communist China for an AI development. The legislation before our subcommittee is the culmination of extensive regular order process to ensure sufficient public input and technical assistance. Throughout this Congress, witnesses before our subcommittee have made things crystal clear. Our nation is in the midst of concerning a reliability crisis. Affordability challenges are straining household budgets and electric sector must meet the moment to ensure our country can compete and win in the next generation economy. These pillars have been our North Star. Today we're taking action to improve the daily lives of everyday American families. Importantly, HR 9340, the ratepayer protection act introduced by my colleague from Colorado's 8th congressional district seeks to ensure that costs associated with rapid low growth are not placed on the backs of captive ratepayers. This concept is simple. Hardworking American households should not put the bill for the cost that are caused by the growing electricity demands from large energy users. Using a light touch target and forward looking approach, HR 9340 provides direction to state utility commissions to establish large load tariffs that can methodically fuel investment into job creating industries while protecting households from picking up the tab. Our electric grid needs additional capacity and fast yet transmission costs have increased dramatically in the 21st century while fuel and generation costs have plummeted. The cheapest transmission line is one that you don't have to build. HR 6633, the high capacity grid act sponsored by our colleague from North Dakota's at large congressional district will enhance our bulk power system with advanced conductors that have a higher carrying capacity. To usher in a modernized electric system, HR 9335, the advanced transmission to reduce rates act sponsored by our colleague from Texas's 12th district will bolster important work of the Department of Energy to develop innovative grid solutions and make it easier for utilities to deploy these technologies. Alongside these efforts, HR 9332, the load forecasting enhancement act introduced by our colleague from Ohio's 12th district will foster important federal and state collaboration to improve accuracy of demand projections that will lead to more cost effective infrastructure build out. It's important to address what impacts AI has on the grid, but equally important to consider how AI can be used to improve the grid. HR 9339, the affordable innovation for grid act sponsored by our colleague from Tennessee's 1st district leverages the expertise of DOE to study the different ways innovative computational models can improve efficiencies in our system. We will also consider HR 6529, the protecting families energy cost act. I thank our colleague from Ohio's 1st district for agreeing to changes that respect the critical roles of states in addressing retail rates of electric service. Also under consideration is HR 9338, the pipeline safety authorization act, which reauthorizes PHMSA's pipeline safety program for five years. The streamlined bill will enable PHMSA to refocus on safety as it's essential mission while making common sense changes to ensure PHMSA can regulate efficiency while maintaining and improving safety. This bill is a product of bipartisan work that is still ongoing and I look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a bipartisan path forward to ensure the safe development and oversight of our pipeline infrastructure. Last I'd like to thank our colleague and ranking member from Florida's 14th district on our continued work to refine HR 2986, the expediting generator interconnection and interconnection procedures act to ensure the provisions of the bill addresses current challenges facing the interconnection process and provide discretion to regions based on their unique differences. While improvements are necessary for the bill, I commit to working with our colleague, the ranking member, and also to work in good faith and hopefully find that common ground. All together this timely subcommittee markup takes another step to affirming American energy dominance for the benefit of all of our constituents and with that I yield back.