Burlison Opens Subcommittee’s First Hearing: America’s Energy Reliability is a Concern of Every District in Every State
WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) delivered an opening statement at the Subcommittee’s first hearing titled “Leading the Charge: Opportunities to Strengthen America’s Energy Reliability.” To begin his remarks, Subcommittee Chairman Burlinson explored innovative ways for the United States to keep pace with the increasing demand for power. He explained how burdensome regulations and unnecessary red tape have acted as a “silent killer” to energy expansion by curbing economic growth and driving up prices for American families and businesses. During the 118th Congress, Subcommittee Chairman Burlison introduced the Reliable Grid Act of 2024, aimed at reversing outdated energy policies and ensuring Americans everywhere have access to affordable, reliable energy. Chairman Burlison concluded his remarks by noting that America is on a path toward achieving energy independence thanks to the Subcommittee’s work shedding light on needed reforms and the Trump Administration’s recent efforts to expand oil and gas production.
Below are Subcommittee Chairman Burlison’s remarks as prepared for delivery.
Welcome to the first hearing of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs for the 119th Congress.
It is an honor to serve as the Chairman of this Subcommittee, and I look forward to working with Ranking Member Frost and my colleagues on the Subcommittee over the course of this Congress as we tackle urgent problems facing the American people.
Today’s hearing topic concerns every district across the country: the state of America’s energy reliability.
Power demand is expected to grow dramatically in the coming years as new manufacturing facilities and data centers are built throughout the country.
With the new demand comes lots of questions: Where will this additional power come from? Are we doing enough to create more power generation and transmission? If we are not, are we setting our power grid up to crash?
What will all this mean for Americans, and how can they be assured that energy bills won’t continue to rise?
New innovation—particularly in the field of nuclear energy—offers promising solutions, but it is often thwarted from reaching its full potential due to regulatory and permitting challenges imposed by government.
Reliable and trusted sources of power generation—such as natural gas and coal—are still fighting against regulatory obstacles created by the previous administration.
Burdensome regulations have been the silent killer of economic growth and prosperity in our country and have lasting implications for U.S. industries, particularly the power sector.
The Biden EPA’s power plants rule will, if left in place, force the premature retirement of existing power plants across the country without providing a clear path forward for bringing new power generation online.
Last Congress, I introduced the Reliable Grid Act of 2024 to address this issue and ensure that Americans everywhere have access to affordable, reliable energy supplies.
Under the Trump Administration, significant steps are already being taken to revitalize our nation’s energy sector.
Recent executive actions seek to expand oil and gas production, reverse previous limitations, and unleash our energy independence.
These initiatives, coupled with ongoing regulatory reforms to alleviate unnecessary burdens on energy development, are poised to modernize our power generation and transmission infrastructure, ensuring reliable and affordable energy supply for all Americans.
Over the course of this Congress, I hope that this Subcommittee can shed light on where reforms are needed and bring forth practical—and hopefully bipartisan—solutions to better serve the American people.
I look forward to our conversation here today.
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