Washington, D.C. - House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans sent a letter to Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) on Friday requesting the Committee schedule oversight hearings with the Department of Energy (DOE) to address the energy crisis and preparations for the upcoming winter. Americans are facing rapidly rising and unaffordable energy prices, which is harming the economy and driving up inflation and household bills. The DOE is responsible for ensuring Americans have access to reliable and affordable energy.
The Committee members point to a letter they sent to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm on Oct. 14, 2021 requesting she provide the DOE’s plans to the Committee on how energy will be kept affordable, particularly with surging energy costs this winter.
Given the seriousness of the current energy crisis, the Members are requesting Chairman Pallone conduct oversight hearings with DOE to examine whether it is meeting its statutory responsibilities to ensure that Americans have access to affordable and reliable energy supplies.
KEY EXCERPT OF LETTER TO CHAIRMAN PALLONE: “This Committee must conduct oversight over DOE’s handling of the energy crisis to understand better its actions and what steps Congress may need to take ahead of the upcoming winter. We should also investigate how regulations may be causing or contributing to energy price increases and whether the Administration’s potential shutdown of another major U.S. pipeline - Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline - will result in adverse economic impacts and fuel shortages across the Midwest."
WHY IT MATTERS: American families are facing record high energy costs and the Energy Information Administration, which is under DOE, forecasts Americans to be paying:
* 54 percent more for propane
* 43 percent more for heating oil
* 30 percent more for natural gas
* 6 percent more for electric heating.
KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “While we understand that global supply chain disruptions and demand shocks related to the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced domestic prices, the Administration’s anti-fossil fuel agenda is significantly contributing to this energy crisis. On his first day in office, President Biden revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and imposed a moratorium on fossil energy development on Federal lands and waters. In response to high energy prices, rather than encourage domestic production, the Administration has called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia to increase oil supplies."
