WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) closed out Energy Week on Capitol Hill on Friday after helping pass a slate of bills that would rebuild American energy leadership and reverse several of the Biden Administration’s anti-energy policies.
Since taking office, President Biden has killed the Keystone XL pipeline, banned new liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects, weakened the reliability of the U.S. electric grid, and is mandating that two-thirds of new cars sales be electric by 2032. Furthermore, the President has depleted the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to its lowest level since 1984, jeopardizing national security.
“House Republicans have worked nonstop since retaking the House majority to re-establish the United States as the global leader in energy and halt President Biden’s war on American energy,” said Balderson. “The White House, EPA, and Department of Energy have worked closely with radical ‘climate’ activists to craft an agenda that would limit domestic energy production, force reliable generation off the grid, and make the United States and our allies more reliant on foreign adversaries such as China and Russia to meet our energy needs. This week, House Republicans took decisive action to stop the Biden Administration’s campaign to undermine American energy security.”
The pro-energy bills that passed on the floor this week include:
- H.R. 1121 - Protecting American Energy Production Act (PASSED 229-188)
- Co-sponsored by Congressman Balderson
- Prohibits the President from unilaterally banning fracking.
- Expresses the sense of Congress that the regulation of fracking for oil and natural gas production on state and private lands should be reserved for the states, not the federal government.
- With newer technologies such as fracking, natural gas production in the State of Ohio was 27 times greater in 2022 than in 2012.
- Increased natural gas production has been a game changer for people in Appalachian Ohio. The President should not have the power to single handedly block these leases.
- H.R. 1023 - To repeal section 134 of the Clean Air Act, relating to the greenhouse gas reduction fund (PASSED 209-204)
- Repeals the EPA’s $27 billion green bank slush fund that would be used by the Biden Administration to pursue their rush-to-green agenda.
- Repeals the Inflation Reduction Act’s natural gas tax, which would increase energy prices for consumers and limit domestic natural gas production.
- Inflation has impacted every community across the U.S. The tax on natural gas would further increase energy prices on consumers, making electric bills even more costly.
- H. Res. 987 - Denouncing the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration (PASSED 217-200)
- Denounces the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden Administration and condemns their anti-American energy agenda for jeopardizing our national security, causing the cost of living to skyrocket, and forcing America to be dependent on foreign adversaries for energy.
- H.R. 6009 - the Restoring American Energy Dominance Act (PASSED 216-200)
- Requires the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to withdraw the proposed rule relating to fluid mineral leases and leasing process.
- This regulation limits domestic oil and gas production on federal lands and crushes small energy businesses.
- H.R. 7023 - Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act (PASSED 213-205)
- Reforms and restores permitting processes under the Clean Water Act.
- Ensures strong clean water protections while making common-sense regulatory reforms so projects can move forward.
- This bill right-sizes these rules and regulations to protect Ohioans without creating a hostile environment for companies and small businesses.
- H. Con. Res. 86 - Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy (Adopted 222-196)
- Expresses Congressional disapproval of a federal tax on carbon released from fossil fuels.
- The resolution outlines why a carbon tax would lead to jobs and businesses moving overseas and fall hardest on low-income individuals, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes.
- Adding yet another tax is the last thing Ohioans need while many families are still fighting the rising cost of living.
As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Balderson has consistently worked to hold the Biden Administration accountable, promote domestic energy production, protect consumer choice, keep energy costs low, and ensure the future reliability and resilience of the American electric grid.
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