Testifying before Congress, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm praised the recently passed infrastructure law, but said more funds will be needed to address the nation's energy challenges, a press release reported.
"The $62 billion investment from the infrastructure law is a historic long-term investment in projects that will serve our nation for decades," Granholm said. "But it is not, on its own, sufficient to address the nation’s energy challenges."
The U.S. faces "a trio of crises" – climate change, COVID-19 supply chain effects and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Granholm said.
"The first of those crises cost the United States $148 billion last year alone in dealing with extreme weather events," she testified. "The second two crises are costing American families right now, as they see prices rising from gas stations to grocery stores."
Solutions to the crises are available within the U.S. energy sector, she said.
"But ultimately, these crises tell us that global security, energy independence and energy affordability all depend on a shift toward American-made clean energy," she said. "Fortunately, Congress —through the Energy Act of 2020 and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—has invested in our ability to build clean energy technologies here at home, with American parts and labor."
She said the Energy Department has asked for funds to complement the infrastructure law.
The extra funding would "maximize its impact to lower costs, make us energy secure and provide us with reliable, clean American power," Granholm testified.
