NE Washington News

Washington, D.C. — Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) 

on May 16, 2023, led the House Energy and Commerce Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee in marking up three bills to bolster energy reliability and security, including:

• The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act to ban imports of Russian uranium. 
• The Save Our Gas Stoves Act to prohibit the U.S. Department of Energy from banning gas stoves. 
• The Energy Emergency Leadership Act to protect the cybersecurity of America’s critical energy infrastructure. 

The Save Our Gas Stoves Act is particularly important for those living in Washington state, where Governor Jay Inslee and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson are teaming up to ban natural gas in new homes and increase regulations on gas stoves. These moves are a part of Democrats’ larger efforts to eliminate fossil fuels in the United States. Earlier this year, the Biden administration considered banning gas stoves and New York just recently became the first state to ban natural gas stoves in most new homes and buildings by 2026. 

The Save Our Stoves Act would preempt this extreme government overreach that would take away consumer choice and an appliance that can serve as a lifeline for many Eastern Washington families during weather-related power outages. 

NOTE: These three pieces of legislation will now move to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee for further markup. If they pass the full committee, then they could move to the House Floor for a vote.

Cathy delivered the following opening remarks at today’s markup. Excerpts and highlights are below:

IMPROVING LIVES WITH MORE AFFORDABLE ENERGY

“This morning the Subcommittee continues our work to improve people’s lives by making energy more affordable and strengthening American energy security.

“In order to achieve this, it is critical that the U.S. maintain a strong energy mix.

“That is how we win the future with clean, reliable, and affordable energy to power our way of life, keep the lights on, build stronger communities, and keep our economies going and a key part of that energy mix must be nuclear.”

DANGEROUS RELIANCE ON RUSSIAN NUCLEAR FUELS

“American leadership in nuclear energy and nuclear technology is critical to our economic and national security.

“Which is why one of the most urgent security threats America faces right now is our dangerous reliance on Russia’s supply of nuclear fuels for our nuclear fleet.

“This threat has intensified as a result of the war in Ukraine.

“American nuclear fuel infrastructure has been stunted by policies that Russia has exploited by flooding the U.S. market with its cheaper fuel, which today, accounts for more than 20 percent of nuclear fuels for American reactors.

“Last year alone, our industry paid over $850 million to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom and its fuel subsidiaries.

“That number could be even higher this year and these resources are no doubt going towards funding Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine.

“Further, we’ve seen how Putin has weaponized Europe’s reliance on Russian natural gas.

“There’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t do the same with our nuclear fuel supply, if they saw an opportunity.

“Rosatom has also supported China’s nuclear energy ambitions.

“The risks of continuing this dependence on Russia for our nuclear fuels are simply too great.

“That’s why I am leading H.R. 1042, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, along with Mr. Latta which bans fuel imports from Russia and sends a strong signal to the market that will help restore American nuclear leadership and fuel infrastructure.”

PROTECTING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND GAS STOVES

“We will also be discussing several other important bills today, including H.R. 3277, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act which Mr. Walberg and Ms. Blunt Rochester are leading to continue the Committee’s bipartisan focus on protecting our critical energy infrastructure.

“This bill, which we passed through the House last Congress, assures that DOE’s important cyber security and emergency functions are led by a Senate-confirmed assistant secretary.

“We will also be considering H.R. 1640, the ‘Save our Gas Stoves Act,’ led by Representative Lesko to prevent DOE from banning gas stoves.

“This ban is just the latest attempt by the Biden administration to use the federal government’s power to dictate every aspect of our lives, from what kind of car we can drive, how we wash our clothes, and how we heat our homes and businesses to now, how Americans are allowed to cook food for our families by trying to ban gas stoves.

“Ultimately, these bans will only force higher costs on hardworking families and disproportionately harm the most vulnerable communities.

“I look forward to discussing these solutions in greater detail.

Original source can be found here.