Save Our Gas Stoves Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HUIZENGA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to require the Secretary of Energy to disclose certain stakeholder meetings with any entity that has: one, ties to the People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party; two, has produced studies regarding or has advocated for policies to limit, restrict, or ban the use of any type of energy; and, three, has applied for or received Federal funds.

We have recently seen concerning examples of anti-energy, China- connected entities receiving not just elevated access to the White House and Federal agencies but granting of funds, as well. Literally, we have been using U.S. taxpayer dollars to help fund them.

I introduced this amendment because the Biden administration has not been transparent about who it has been meeting with, and frankly, I believe this administration has not been honest with the American people about its desire to ban gas stoves.

In February of this year, it was widely reported that a government watchdog group obtained information through the Freedom of Information Act revealing a private meeting between the Secretary of Energy and a group that would be covered by this amendment. In particular, this group has been on the forefront of the effort to ban gas stoves.

Unsurprisingly, when I sent a letter to Secretary Granholm in February, inquiring whether she was aware of this group's ties to China and the extent of their influence on the Department, I received a letter back that was completely ignoring my questions and concerns.

I have to give you a little bit of perspective, Mr. Chairman. My family has been involved in construction for over three generations, and I fully understand the needs that people have at various levels in their homes and their businesses.

I mean, we are talking about gas stoves today. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing inherently wrong with electric stoves. That oftentimes fits very nicely--same thing with electric base heat or water heaters, et cetera.

There are certain regions of the country, like in Michigan and the upper Midwest, where we are very dependent on propane and natural gas. We don't have the electric grid to support an expansion of that.

I know the other side will say that nobody is going to pull your stove out of your house--yet. Nobody is doing anything other than just stoves--yet.

We know that places like California, New York, and even in Michigan, the city of Ann Arbor, have gone in and literally banned the addition of and use of gas stoves. They are looking to expand that. They have talked about that.

The real rub here, Mr. Chairman, is that we have a major problem with questionable groups with established connections to China. They have those established connections, but we are not sure what their unanswered intentions might be.

They are succeeding in influencing policy to limit affordable appliance options for Americans. When President Biden or Senate Majority Leader Schumer are telling the American people that no one is going after their stoves, they may be technically correct today, Mr. Chairman. In the broader picture, we know that that may be coming.

I have to say that it is one thing for elected officials to be going after a particular appliance or source of energy, but we have a real problem when Washington bureaucrats, unelected bureaucrats, aren't being honest about their end goal, and they are the ones making the rules and regulations.

A ban on gas stoves is going to cost the taxpayers. It is going to cost hardworking, honest Americans more when they are already in an inflationary heightened situation.

That is why I wanted to bring this amendment. I appreciate the author's acceptance of this and understanding of where we are trying to go with this.

At the end of the day, Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simply to bring an added dose of transparency, expose connections to the CCP, which I truly, honestly believe that both sides of the aisle have concerns about the tentacles of the CCP and the Chinese Government and the influence that it has gained here in the United States.

That is why, on the Financial Services Committee that I serve on, we have done CFIUS reviews, which is making sure that it is property and technology and other things that we are protecting from our adversaries like China.

Why would we hand over the keys to this particular kingdom? I don't understand.

We need to let the American people know who is truly influencing our government and that exposure is there.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source