How Congress Can Counter President Biden's War on American Energy

“Bidenomics” is wreaking havoc on American families. Inflation alone has the average American family now spending $709 more a month than it did two years ago. One of the key drivers of these increases has been the rapidly rising cost of energy, which under the Biden administration, has ballooned the price of gasoline by more than 50 percent. Earlier this year, CPAC supported Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (CPAC Conservative 91%) House-passed H.R. 1 “The Lower Energy Costs Act” which would make massive leaps toward restoring American energy dominance.

With the “The Lower Energy Costs Act” being held up by the Senate, it is vitally important for Congress to use the power of the purse to ensure policies which unleash the American energy sector and dampen the blow of inflation for American families are included in the budget.

The Biden administration has made clear of their intentions to harm American energy producers and increase reliance on energy which makes us dependent on adversarial nations like China. As the Biden administration’s new rules and regulations have cost the Americans nearly $10,000 per household, it is imperative to provide immediate relief.

Below are examples of the Biden Administration’s overreach in the energy sector. These rules and regulations should have their implementation defunded as a part of the FY24 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill:

• The DOI’s cancelation of oil and gas leases for National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR).

• The EPA’s Clean Power Plan 2.0; which is a clear attempt by the Biden administration to revive the illegal Clean Power Plan.

• The EPA’s proposed “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later LightDuty and Medium-Duty Vehicles;” which would require that the majority of new cars and trucks sold in the United States be electric by 2032.

• The EPA’s rule under the “Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program,” which creates new costs on oil refiners which will be passed along to consumers with higher prices at the pump.

• The EPA’s proposed changes to the EnergySTAR program, which would eliminate efficient natural gas furnaces from the program.

• The BOEM’s “Risk Management and Financial Assurance for Outer Continental Shelf Lease and Grant Obligations,” which would deter oil production in the OCS.

• The DOE’s proposed “Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional Cooking Products” which would attempt to phase-out and ban gas stoves.

• The DOE’s proposed “Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Water Heaters,” which uses junk economics to justify the costly new rule.

• The DOE’s proposed “Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Clothes Washers,” which would make washing cycles longer and clothes dirtier.

• The NHTSA’s proposed CAFE standards, which would limit the production of affordable and gas-powered vehicles.

• The BLM’s Conservation and Landscape Health rule; which would hinder access to public lands for energy and critical mineral development.