WASHINGTON - Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and the Congressional Western Caucus held a joint forum titled, “Holding the Biden Administration Accountable for Skyrocketing Prices & Failing Energy Policies." In his opening statement, Ranking Member Comer emphasized the American people, under President Biden, are paying 40 percent more for gasoline, electricity and heating costs continue to rise, and inflation is now at a 40-year high.
Instead of prioritizing access to affordable energy, Comer highlighted Democrats’ obsession to implement the Green New Deal and put American energy companies at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the world. Since taking office, President Biden unilaterally vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline, placed a moratorium on oil and gas production on federal lands, and enacted policies that increase individual energy costs for Americans. He noted Oversight Committee Democrats even launched a frivolous and misguided partisan investigation of American oil and gas companies. As Ranking Member, Comer concluded by vowing to abandon the partisan theatre deployed by Democrats, work alongside the American energy industry, and establish policies that benefit all Americans.
The remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
Thank you, Chairman Newhouse for working together with the Oversight Committee Republicans to convene today’s important forum. It is a shame Democrats on the Oversight Committee are unwilling to hold a hearing on the skyrocketing energy prices impacting all Americans.
Last November, we wrote to Chairwoman Maloney requesting a hearing on this subject but we still haven’t gotten a response. In the meantime, Democrats have been busy attacking America’s domestic energy production and pushing expensive Green New Deal policy dreams that are a nightmare for the American people.
Gas prices are up over 40 percent since President Biden took office and inflation is at a 40-year high. You would think Democrats would prioritize access to affordable energy for the most vulnerable populations they claim to support, but these people have been left in the cold by the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats.
I thank our panelists for appearing before us today to discuss the importance of ensuring that Americans have access to affordable and abundant American energy resources.
To achieve this goal, it is critical the U.S. government adopt policies that allow for our great American energy companies to produce domestic energy sources that will give our citizens electricity, heat their homes, and fuel their vehicles.
However, I am concerned President Biden and his Democrat allies in Congress do not share this same goal.
As the Republican Leader of the Oversight and Reform Committee, I am focused on highlighting waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government and ensuring that the policies of the government address the critical concerns of the American people.
Through my work on the Oversight Committee, it is clear this country is not headed in the right direction on energy issues. When President Biden says he has no plan to address rising gasoline prices, it is clear this is an Administration that is not committed to promoting an all of the above energy solution in America.
President Biden’s pattern of actions on energy issues further solidifies this point.
Since taking office, President Biden unilaterally vetoed the critically important Keystone XL pipeline, placed a moratorium on oil and gas production on federal lands, and enacted policies that increase individual energy costs for American citizens.
Simply put, President Biden’s policies raise electricity costs for the American people and put American energy companies at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the world.
Just a few short years ago, the United States was experiencing an energy renaissance - we even became a strong exporter of oil and natural gas, allowing us to compete on the global stage. But President Biden’s policies threaten the jobs and investment that hardworking Americans spent so long creating.
President Biden and his Democrat allies have proven they are not equipped to deal with these issues.
We need leaders who are willing to work with industry and confront the policy issues that are at the forefront of American’s minds. Working with my colleagues on the Western Caucus, I believe we can provide these solutions.
Today, I look forward to hearing from industry leaders about what plans they have to address the rising cost of gasoline, electricity, and heating oil; how companies are voluntarily working to limit emissions; and what polices we should enact to allow for sustained job growth.
In moving forward, I am hopeful we can continue to work together to establish energy policies that benefit all Americans.
