Remarks as delivered below.
“The Chairman mentioned something about our last speaker, from Pennsylvania, and I’m a little concerned, maybe he didn’t have time to read the whole bill.
“Because he described not the bill that’s before us, he said something that somehow this [bill] would… harm the environment.
“He was concerned about climate.
“If this bill passes, global emissions will be reduced.
“The chairman pointed out that the gentleman before, from the other side of the aisle, from Pennsylvania, criticized this bill and it talked about the natural gas, I’m not sure if this gentleman on the other side of the aisle has done any research, but if he knows that American natural gas is 41% cleaner than Russian natural gas.
“It’s an interesting little fact.
“If we had replaced for one year, just Russian natural gas to Europe, we would have reduced Co2 emissions by more than 200 million times, 200 million tons.
“So it really begs the question, who’s the polluter?
“Those who defend Russia and vote against this bill.
“Interesting, the people opposing this bill.
“Those I’m hearing are on the other side of the aisle, China, Russia and OPEC.
“It’s interesting the friends you keep.
“Now, let’s talk a little bit about this.
“If you go across this country, it costs too much to heat your home and fill up your car.
“It cost less an administration ago.
“Today, more than 1/3 of all Americans say they have skipped buying food or medicine to pay an energy bill in the last 12 months.
“We’re going to have an opportunity this week to make sure that they don’t have to do that again if you vote yes.
“This is neither affordable nor sustainable.
“In response, President Biden has paid lip service to the need of more energy production.
“But this is a public relations stunt.
“Almost every one of his policies involves penalizing America and empowering China.
“Now here are the facts…
“For years, President Biden and Democrats have attacked energy producers, blocked new leases on federal land, and ground permitting processes to a halt.
“Their so called Inflation Reduction Act included a natural gas tax, a $27 billion climate slush fund.
“So the gentleman on the other side of the aisle from Pennsylvania, he supported taxing the natural gas that’s produced in his state and creating a slush fund.
“Meanwhile, my home state of California’s burdensome environmental laws have led to recurring blackouts and more red tape that raises costs for everything rather than increasing production and providing good paying jobs.
“California imported more than half of its oil from Ecuador in recent years.
“And the interesting fact here is when the Democrats took control of California under Governor Gavin Newsom, he reduced the amount of oil produced in California by 20%.
“That was 80,000 barrels a day.
“That doesn’t mean California used 80,000 less barrels, it meant California started paying Putin for 50,000 barrels.
“They get the majority of their oil from… Ecuador, from [the] Amazon, instead of producing it in an environmentally sound way in California, we’re harming the environment…
“This bill, [the Lower Energy Costs Act] is able to… lower global emissions, lower the price of energy, and make the world more secure and safe.
“Because then Putin and Russia is not controlling Europe.
“Democrats have sent a clear message about their priorities.
“They are the party of $5 gas, subsidizing Communist China and the never ending dependence on foreign dictators for minerals we have in America.
“There was only a few short years ago, where America produced more the critical minerals than China.
“But as the Democrats would shut down leases, make it harder to open new mines.
“They moved it to other parts of the world and not an environmentally sound way.
“Empowering China, making them stronger, and making the price in America higher.
“Luckily, Congress has the opportunity to change the behavior of Washington by passing the Lower Energy Costs Act.
“Every Member of this chamber should support it.
“I understand why Russia and China oppose lower energy costs for America and making America stronger.
“But I don’t understand why Members in this Congress would stand with China and Russia against America.
“The Lower Energy Costs Act does two important things.
“One, it restores American energy leadership by repealing unnecessary taxes and over regulation on American energy producers.
“So we can lead the world in providing clean affordable energy.
“Two, it makes it easier to build things in America.
“For example, this bill includes a two-year time limit on environmental impact statements.
“It also streamlines the process for lawsuits, so activists can’t use the courts to delay projects for years.
“You know, 90 years ago, American workers built the Empire State Building 400 days, that’s 13 months.
“These days, however, even repairing existing structures, just like Lake Isabella dam in my district, has taken 18 years… and that’s only because we were lucky in pushing for it.
“And that’s exactly how the big government under the Biden administration wants the system to work.
“Every time we need a pipeline, a road, or a dam, it gets held up by an average of 5 to 7 years, and adds millions of dollars in costs for the project to comply with Washington’s permitting process.
“It’s too long, it’s unaffordable, it’s not based on science, and it’s holding us back.
“It’s time we speed up the time it takes for us to build all kinds of things in America.
“We could streamline permitting, stop abusive lawsuits, protect the environment, and importantly, lower the price of energy.
“This is why the Lower Energy Costs Act is H.R. 1. It signals how important the bill truly is.
“When the Democrats were in the majority, you know what their H.R. 1 was?
“Elections.
“They tried to guarantee a right to be elected.
“You see, they looked after themselves.
“When Republicans took the majority our H.R. 1 is about lowering energy costs for all of Americans.
“We think it’s important to serve to serve others, not yourself.
“Now, I get that permitting reform isn’t for everyone.
“If you like paying more at the pump, you don’t want to make it faster for American workers to build more pipes.
“If you’re China, you rather America sit back and let others lead.
“If you’re a bureaucrat, maybe you really do enjoy reading the 600-page, environmental impact studies.
“But the rest of America wants lower prices, more cash in their hand.
“More good paying jobs in America and rules that are good for the environment.
“And that’s exactly what the Lower Energy Costs Act does.
“America has the potential to become a true energy superpower.
“God has blessed us with abundant energy and we shouldn’t have to depend on other countries for our future.
“In fact, we should make the world dependent on us for energy.
“The world would be cleaner and safer, and America would be better off.
“So if you want to have a responsible energy policy where America produces more energy, pays less for a gallon of gas, and never again bows to foreign dictators, vote yes on [the] Lower Energy Costs Act.
“Three things will happen when this bill becomes law.
“Your energy costs will be reduced.
“You will have more cash to take care of your family to pay for your medicines to take your family on vacation, it will reduce the global emissions.
“So environmentally, the world will be a better place.
“It will make the world a safer place.
“So no longer does America pay Putin for dirty oil or gas.
“So no longer does China control other nations because they control the critical minerals that America will not produce.
“No longer will we watch as we watched in the 1930s countries bound together to create an axis of power.
“We’ve now watched China enter the Middle East to bring Saudi Arabia and Iran together.
“That used to be the role of the American President and Camp David, it is no longer.
“We do not want to watch our President travel to the Middle East.
“To beg to produce something more when America can produce it here in an environmentally sound way.
“I know why Russia and China fights this bill so hard.
”I do not understand why those on the other side of the aisle join with Russia and China.
“I asked them to join with Americans and make America safe.
“And America environmentally sound and the world a more secure place.”