NE Washington News

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered opening remarks at today’s Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee hearing titled “From Gas to Groceries: Americans Pay the Price of the Biden-Harris Energy Agenda."

“Before we begin today, we remember all those we lost and the heroes who bravely confronted evil on 9/11,” said Rodgers. “We can never forget them or their sacrifices, so we remember what’s at stake: our values, our country, and our children’s future.”

Rodgers emphasized the importance of affordable and reliable energy for national security and economic prosperity. She criticized the Biden-Harris administration's energy policies, stating they have led to increased costs for American families.

“Over the past two years, the Energy and Commerce Committee has led the way to expose how the Biden-Harris administration’s war on American energy is fueling out-of-control inflation decimating the financial security of the American people,” she said.

Rodgers highlighted several issues she attributes to current energy policies, including restrictions on energy expansion and increased regulatory standards that she claims harm economic growth and job creation.

“This administration’s war on American energy impacts every aspect of our lives,” Rodgers stated. “Today, American families pay on average 30 percent more for electricity, 25 percent more for gas to heat their homes, and 56 percent more for gasoline to fuel their cars than they did in January 2021.”

She shared a story about a mother from North Carolina facing difficult financial choices due to rising costs. Rodgers argued that such situations are avoidable with different policy decisions.

“In my home state of Washington, the average family is paying an additional $1,066 more per month on average than they did in January 2021 for the same goods and services,” she noted. “This adds up to more than $27,000 in additional spending due to inflation since the start of the Biden-Harris administration.”

Rodgers called for a shift towards policies promoting American energy production to reduce costs. She warned against continued restrictions which she believes jeopardize future energy needs.

“There is an important choice we must make going forward,” Rodgers concluded. “We must focus on advancing policies that reduce costs for American families and businesses... That is how we will win the future.”