Lower Energy Costs Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BEYER. Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1. It is a very shortsighted, anti-science, anti-environment, and anti-family bill.
Last week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its synthesis report and reminded us how urgent it is that we transition to a zero-carbon economy now. We need new clean energy, and we need it fast.
There is an opportunity for Congress to engage on permitting and transmission so new energy projects, especially clean energy projects, can get up and running as soon as possible. However, instead of a meaningful conversation, H.R. 1 is a sad regurgitation of the majority's bill from the 115th Congress with attacks on the Inflation Reduction Act.
Transmission conversations are completely absent, yet we know that investment in transmission is key to our energy future.
This bill will repeal important programs to help Americans make their homes energy efficient. These popular programs are already in motion to help families lower energy costs, and this bill will take them away.
H.R. 1 reduces the fees and royalties for oil and gas development, padding the pockets of oil and gas at a time when their record profits are at an all-time high.
This is not about energy prices for American families but profits for fossil fuel companies at exactly the time when the whole world knows we need to move away from them as quickly as possible.
On the one hand, my Republican friends are so concerned with the deficit that they are holding the economy hostage over their brinkmanship on the debt limit. Then, on the other hand, they bring a partisan bill to the floor that the Congressional Budget Office said will increase that deficit by $2\1/2\ billion.
I implore my Republican colleagues to take the deficit seriously and pass a clean debt limit. Please take our energy needs seriously and our climate seriously and work with us on our transmission needs.
We are interested in the discussions. Our door is open when you want to work with us to get things done and move past partisan messaging bills that will be dead on arrival in the 60-vote Senate.
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