Voting with hardline Democrats in Congress, Rep. Mary Peltola said the Lower Energy Costs Act just was not quite right for the country. She voted against H.R. 1, which passed anyway.
H.R. 1 addresses persistent high inflation that is caused in part by high energy costs and returns America to energy independence, as it was under the administration of Donald Trump. It does this by:
- – Increasing domestic energy production
- – Reforming the permitting process for all industries
- – Reversing anti-energy policies advanced by the Biden administration
- – Streamlining energy infrastructure and exports
- – Boosting the production and processing of critical minerals
The bill:
- – Prohibits President Biden from banning hydraulic fracturing
- – Repeals all restrictions on the import and export of natural gas, including LNG
- – Prevents liberal states from blocking interstate infrastructure projects
- – Repeals President Biden’s $6 billion natural gas tax that would increase energy bills for families
- – Rolls back President Biden’s $27 billion EPA slush fund for Democrat special interests
- – Disapproves of President Biden’s canceling of the Keystone XL pipeline
- – Requires the Department of the Interior to resume lease sales on federal lands and waters
- – Repeals harmful royalties and fee increases imposed on energy production that drive up prices for families
- – Ensures parity in energy revenue sharing for states with onshore and offshore energy development
- – Requires publication of the 2023-28 offshore oil and gas lease sales plan/sets deadlines for future 5-year plans
On Fox’s Faulkner Focus on Friday, Sen. Dan Sullivan praised H.R. 1 said he and his colleagues are working on a similar bill in the Senate, “to bring more American energy to Americans by American energy workers, the best workers in the world.”
“Republicans are prioritizing the American people over the Democrat’s radical climate agenda. On his first day in office, President Biden started the war on American energy. He has revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, imposed a moratorium on oil production on federal lands, directed agencies across the Federal government to impose punitive and burdensome regulations, and made us more reliant on China. Predictably, gas prices skyrocketed to the highest levels in American history. People are counting on us to improve their quality of life. H.R. 1 delivers on that promise and will ensure America continues to lead the world at reducing emissions. I commend the passing of this package, which will boost energy production, lift regulatory burdens for the construction of more energy infrastructure, cut China out of our critical materials supply chains, and lower costs across the board. H.R. 1 is how we build a better and more secure future for all Americans,” said House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state.
But for Alaska’s Rep. Peltola, it was just another partisan bill. She said that the country needs to transition to a renewable-focused economy. She said H.R. 1 does not resolve permitting issues, of which she did not specify. She said that “we need a roadmap to the future that lowers costs for Americans, not another partisan bill that adds to the national debt.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had a different take than Peltola: “In House Republicans’ Commitment to America, we promised the American people that we would work to reduce energy costs and make it easier and more affordable to build in the U.S. I’m proud to say that H.R. 1, the Lower Costs and Energy Act, will deliver on that promise by increasing energy production and instituting comprehensive permitting reform to speed the construction of critical infrastructure in our country. As our nation continues to recover from the highest inflation in generations, this bill will help stimulate our economy and bolster our national security while making us more competitive on the world stage against Russia and China. I am grateful for the leadership of Leader Scalise, Chairman Westerman, Chairwoman Rodgers, and Chairman Graves who all played a crucial role in getting H.R. 1 across the finish line. The need for permitting reform is something that Republicans and Democrats alike can get behind, and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to do right by the American people and swiftly take up this bill.”
The Lower Energy Costs Act is a rebuke of President Biden’s war on affordable energy. If it reaches Biden’s desk, he will certainly veto it.
Four Democrats voted in favor of the bill, and one Republican voted against it. It passed 225-204. It will now be sent to the Senate, where it may be sidelined in a hostile committee, as the Senate is run by Democrats.
