U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright recently addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where he discussed energy policies and the Trump administration's stance on energy production. Wright expressed his enthusiasm for working under President Donald J. Trump, highlighting a focus on common sense in energy policy.
During his speech, Wright emphasized the importance of energy in transforming human life expectancy and conditions globally. He stated, "Two things catalyze that change. The growth of human liberty—bottom-up social organization, what we're all passionate about—and the explosion in available energy from hydrocarbons."
Wright criticized previous administrations for implementing barriers to oil and gas production, which he claims led to increased electricity prices. He noted, "We've seen a 30% rise in electricity prices, just in the previous administration." He argued that these policies have driven businesses away from states with high energy costs.
The Secretary outlined plans to increase domestic energy production through infrastructure development, saying, "Drill baby drill and build baby build." He also stressed the significance of leading in artificial intelligence as an emerging industry reliant on substantial energy resources.
Wright voiced concerns over regulations affecting consumer appliances and manufacturing jobs. He cited an example of a regulation that threatened jobs at a factory producing tankless water heaters: "They passed a regulation that would make that product illegal. And that company would be dead."
He concluded by affirming the administration's commitment to removing regulatory barriers and supporting American industry: "We're not going to tell you what to buy. We want to enable you to buy what you want to buy."
