Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it may be in order at any time on Thursday, April 11, 2024, for the Speaker to declare a recess, subject to the call of the Chair, for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting His Excellency Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague Mr. Duncan and Chair McMorris Rodgers for yielding. I appreciate the leadership of Gary Palmer on this particular legislation, H.R. 1023, the Cutting Green Corruption and Taxes Act.

As we sit here and listen, it has been pretty amusing. The reason we are here is because the American public is sick and tired of the games. The veil has been lifted. They know the facts. Affordability and reliability are the most important things, and we will get to the facts about the actual emissions that have been cut.

Let's just start with the fact that this natural gas tax is unworkable. It was included despite never being considered, never being talked about with stakeholders in places like the Permian Basin that I represent. There was never expert testimony that talked about how to work this in.

Instead of looking at emissions holistically, the natural gas tax was based on the single premise that if reliable energy is taxed, less of it will be produced.

Let's ask the American public if they are for that.

Especially as the EPA rolls out proposed rules to implement the natural gas tax, it is clear that we have to take action. There are dozens of rules that they are rolling out.

When we talked to the directors of the EPA when they came before Congress this year, they didn't even know how they were going to implement this. They haven't talked to stakeholders.

Why have they not been to the Permian Basin? Not a single person from the EPA has come to the largest producing area to see what we are doing, to see that in the last 12 to 15 years that we have increased production by 300 or 400 percent from 1 million barrels a day to over 5 million barrels, and we have reduced methane intensity by over 70 percent.

Why can't Administrator Regan or Director Nance or Mr. Goffman come to the Permian Basin and see what we have done? Not because the government has told them to do it, but because it makes economic sense because they are doing it from a business sense.

That is what you are not going to hear from my colleagues on the left.

They are being driven from a radical, environmental activist position that doesn't represent what the country wants or needs.

I was pleased to host Speaker Johnson in Midland, Texas, this week to kick off energy week. The Speaker had a chance to meet with industry experts, people that know this business, people that have cut the emissions, people who do care about providing affordable, reliable energy as well as reducing harmful emissions.

They have been doing it. They have been doing it for years. It makes sense that Congress would come together and talk about reducing harmful emissions in a meaningful way.

Not a single industry expert has come to Congress and said that they want methane intensity to increase. What they don't want, or need is a new tax. What they don't want, or need is to assault the industry that literally won World War II for us, that has provided our partners and allies what they need because they aren't blessed with the resources that we are.

If this is implemented, the ill-conceived natural gas tax will handicap technological innovation, reduce the supply of affordable energy in this country and for our partners and allies, and it will increase not only costs, but emissions.

In fact, this tax alone will drive up the cost of household energy for 180 million Americans and over 5\1/2\ million businesses that rely on the natural gas tax. The underpinnings of our national security depend on us making smart decisions, producing energy here domestically, and not giving Vladimir Putin, the Iranians, or other nefarious actors a win.

Madam Speaker, I urge support for American energy, I urge support for domestic production, and I urge support for H.R. 1023.

Mr. Speaker, on January 26, President Biden imposed an immediate and indefinite ban on the issuance of LNG export permits to non-FTA countries while DOE conducts a review to consider the climate impacts of natural gas.

Well, the DOE has already commissioned five studies to examine the effects of U.S. LNG exports, and the results unanimously demonstrate the benefits to the U.S. economy and to domestic prices. In fact, the two prior Presidential administrations conducted these studies without blocking export permits.

President Biden's ban on LNG is radically shortsighted when it comes to the environmental risks. Clean natural gas is a major reason why the U.S. has reduced emissions more than any other Nation. According to DOE, U.S. LNG exports are also 41 percent cleaner than Russian natural gas delivered to Europe.

Current law requires that natural gas exports to countries with non- FTA countries are deemed in the public interest, unless DOE finds exports will not be consistent with public interest. There is a very clear statutory presumption already that exports are in the public interest, and each administration has held opposition to a very high bar. I think what the administration is saying right now is the political interest, that the statutory presumption has been held to a very high bar up until now.

This is the same President who promised Europe that we would meet their needs in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Who stepped up to the plate? It was American energy producers who sent more than 87 percent of LNG exports to the EU, U.K., and Asia in December--all markets which will now be forced to turn to nefarious actors for their needs.

I am proud of this bipartisan bill, and one of the reasons is because of the steps that the industry has taken to help the climate, to help emissions, to reduce emissions.

Let's consider that two-thirds of the world's recoverable natural gas is in four countries: Iran, Qatar, Russia, and the United States. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues who they recommend they turn to? If not the U.S., then who?

Not only is President Biden cutting off our allies at the knees, but this move will also raise global and domestic prices. Domestic natural gas prices are lower and more stable with free, fair, and open markets, and U.S. LNG is the price ballast in a global market. The decision to ban exports creates uncertainty and discourages investments that would otherwise create jobs and expand the supply of natural gas.

Out of all of President Biden's poor energy policies, the ban on LNG exports is the most egregious, shortsighted, and impactful on the credit of U.S. commitments around the world. I am proud to lead H.R. 7176 to immediately reverse the ban and to take politics out of LNG exports by giving FERC sole authority for LNG exports and repealing all restrictions.

I would say to the President that the world needs U.S. LNG. This catastrophic, politically based, and legally dubious ban must be reversed immediately. I appreciate the bipartisan support that we are receiving, but I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7176.

Madam Speaker, this is a sad day. It is a sad day that we have to be here, but the Framers of our Constitution forecasted that this could occur.

While we are going to hear that this is a policy difference, that this is maladministration. This is the systemic refusal to follow the law and to enforce the law. It is an egregious breach of public trust.

Moreover, there are no other avenues here. There must be a consequence, and there must be accountability. That is why we are moving to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas for endangering our country.

Anyone with common sense can see that what is being allowed to happen at our border is not only a catastrophe, but it is a national security crisis.

Madam Speaker, 9 million illegal aliens have entered our country since President Biden has been in office, including 300 people that have matched the terror watch list.

It took less than 20 people to orchestrate the attacks on 9/11, which sent me into 20 years of service to this country to protect us overseas. Yet, we are letting the Trojan horse into our country that threatens us. We have a Secretary who refuses to enforce the laws on the books.

It is Congress' duty to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is led by individuals committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting our borders, and the failure to secure the border has been so severe that we have to provide accountability.

Not only is this a systemic refusal to follow the law, but it is also the systemic deconstruction of the rule of law that eventually will eat away at this country.

I am so concerned, and our country should be concerned.

Madam Speaker, I urge everyone in this House to do something that actually gets accountability, to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, and to get our country secure again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert E. `Bobby' Burns on his retirement from the Midland Chamber of Commerce after twelve years leading the organization, and more than four decades of service to the Midland community.

Bobby is officially retiring after an illustrious career as a business owner, three-term mayor, and most recently as the President and CEO of the Midland Chamber of Commerce. Under Bobby's leadership, the city of Midland and its business community soared to new heights.

As Mayor, he led the charge to connect Midland and Odessa to the rest of the country through the creation of the Midland International Airport and connected Midlanders through the construction of Loop 250. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Scharbauer Sports Complex.

While leading the Chamber, Bobby revitalized the organization and oversaw the Four-Star Accreditation of the Midland Chamber with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He was instrumental in the development of the first-class Barbara & George H.W. Bush Convention Center in the heart of downtown Midland, and he raised funds for the life-size sculpture of the President and Mrs. Bush.

I especially want to recognize Bobby for his love of Midland and this great nation. Under his watch, Bobby organized the 4th of July Star- Spangled Salute and the Midland-Odessa Fly-In to Washington D.C. The Salute is still the most widely attended annual single-day event in all of Midland, and the Fly-In brings West Texas values--especially those foundational to the oil and gas industry--to our nation's capital.

Above all else Bobby is a family man: husband to Denise `Deni,' father of two, and grandfather of three. I want to sincerely thank his family for their service and for supporting his efforts. Please join me in recognizing Bobby for his decades of selfless service to the community of Midland.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chair Guthrie, as well as Chair Rodgers for their work on this bill. I rise in strong support of H.R. 4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, the SUPPORT Act.

Looking back, it was originally created in 2018 as a significant investment in overdose prevention. There is an urgent need to actually reauthorize the SUPPORT Act, with nearly 110,000 annual overdose deaths in this country last year. This reauthorization ensures that individuals seeking assistance for substance use disorders have access to critical lifesaving treatments, recovery support services, prevention programming, and long-term recovery services.

I draw attention to an emerging public health concern addressed by this legislation, the illicit use of xylazine. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer that has become drug traffickers' preferred substance for cutting fentanyl. Xylazine's current ease of access--as it can just be purchased online for as little as $6 per kilogram--directly threatens our communities.

DEA Administrator Milgram warned that ``Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier.''

To counter this growing threat, the bill proposes scheduling illicit xylazine under schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, while safeguarding--and this is important--crucial access for veterinary use and the livestock industry.

The fentanyl crisis has already inflicted severe damage on treatment clinics and public health agencies throughout our entire country. Adding another highly toxic substance to the illicit drug supply only intensifies the crisis. Congress must take action against this emerging threat.

I am pleased that the SUPPORT Act builds upon the collaboration of Congressman Panetta and I with the agricultural and veterinary industries and law enforcement to ensure this legislation cracks down on illicit uses of xylazine while preserving its critical role within agriculture and veterinary medicine.

I urge my colleagues to support the SUPPORT Act. This is not just legislation. It is a response to help save lives within our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for her leadership on this.

I rise in strong support of H.J. Res. 88 to block President Biden's taxpayer-funded student loan bailout.

Here we go again. If you don't succeed, and the Supreme Court says it is not constitutional, well, let's find another way, find another mechanism.

That is exactly what we are facing today.

We are standing in the gap, Mr. Speaker. This rule unjustly imposes an excessive burden on hardworking American taxpayers, who should not be forced to shoulder the responsibility for student debt that is not their own.

It is not a coincidence that on the same day the Supreme Court found the Biden administration's first attempt at loan forgiveness unconstitutional, the Department of Education announced this final rule to allow a majority of bachelor's degree student loan borrowers to avoid paying back even the principal on their loans.

Let me be clear: This rule does not offer genuine debt forgiveness. Instead, it shifts the weight of $559 billion in Federal student loans onto the shoulders of almost 90 percent of Americans who don't have those student loans. This includes individuals who may earn significantly less than those who took out the loans in the first place.

Rather than addressing the root causes of a student loan debt crisis, the administration would rather transfer the financial burden onto taxpayers, exacerbating our ongoing issues with inflation and contributing further to our staggering $33 trillion of national debt. This approach is not only flawed but fundamentally unfair to those who opted not to attend college, who diligently paid their own way through school, or who have already successfully paid off their own student loans.

This is what the White House is pushing. By the way, they are also pushing dollars into institutions like Harvard, Penn, and other schools where, as we found out this week, the presidents can't even admit there are anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish hatred messages in their own institutions happening. They can't even admit it.

As a Texan, I can confidently tell you that no hardworking constituent in my district wants to pay for any degree at Harvard using taxpayer money, certainly not ours. By the way, until the presidents of those universities acknowledge the anti-Jewish messages and hatred that has occurred on their college campuses, I urge Congress not to send another dollar of Federal money to any of those institutions.

House Republicans are blocking the Biden administration's illogical and

unreasonable student bailout program, and I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort.

Let's be clear: It is not fair and not American, and the Supreme Court has said it is unconstitutional that Americans should bear the burden of student loans that they did not incur themselves.

Mr. Speaker, for that reason, I urge a strong stance on this, and I urge my colleagues to protect the hard-earned dollars of American taxpayers and prevent further financial strain.

Mr. Speaker, if this was a ``Jeopardy!'' game, it would be called: Here we go again for a thousand.

Mr. Speaker, if we look at what the EPA has done to overreach, we are talking hundreds of proposed rules that they have overreached on telling the American public what they can and can't do.

Mr. Speaker, if it were allowed under House rules, I would address the gallery and I would ask the gallery, raise your hand if you like the fact that the President of the United States is going to tell you what kind of vehicle you can and cannot drive.

It is not necessarily allowed under House rules, but I am guessing, because my district doesn't like it, that most Americans don't like it either.

Today, we are going to stop the EPA from outlawing gas-powered vehicles. The CARS Act places a critical stop sign on this failed path toward forcing all Americans to own electric vehicles. Not only does this legislation prohibit the EPA from enforcing a ban, but it also acknowledges the abuse that the EPA has done.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor, and I thank Mr. Walberg for leading this legislation. The Energy and Commerce Committee is leading the way to energy dominance and allowing Americans to make their own choices that they very much need to be able to make.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 992 to officially designate the Texas and New Mexico portions of the future Interstate- designated segments of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as Interstate Route 27.

The Ports-to-Plains Corridor is a significant north-south transportation corridor that will unlock transportation capabilities for the energy industry in the Permian Basin and enhance Texas' key economic engines of international trade, energy, and the largest agricultural production in the country.

This is a big deal for this part of the United States, specifically for Texas. Madam Speaker, when you think about energy security being national security, Interstate 27 is going to play a massive role in allowing the delivery of that energy not just to our country but also throughout the rest of the world.

In addition, food security is national security, and Interstate 27 will play a massive role in allowing the delivery of food to our own country.

This new designation literally paves the way for safer roads in West Texas, and clearly marks Midland and Odessa as the energy hub of our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Jodey Arrington and Senator Ted

Cruz for their hard work and partnership on this important issue. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation to make sure that we can continue to deliver energy and food throughout the United States.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

On October 7, the world watched in horror as Hamas brutally attacked innocent civilians inside Israel, and I am glad to see that we have bipartisan agreement on standing with Israel, standing firm against Hamas.

However, I have major concerns when it comes Iran. Iran, the world's largest state sponsor of terror globally, use fanaticism and extremism to stoke instability in the Middle East to expand their influence and threaten the existence of Israel and to threaten the United States. So far dozens and dozens of attacks since October 7 have been carried out at the behest of Iranian proxies in the Middle East toward U.S. troops.

The only currency that is recognized by the Iranian regime is strength, something that the administration has not shown.

This attack, and Israel's valid defense of its sovereignty in the wake of this barbaric invasion, is a wake-up call to the threats Iran- backed terrorist groups pose, not just to the Middle East but also to the rest of the world. This is a watershed moment and it demands a resolute response.

The United States must increase pressure on the Iranian regime by denying it the access to the funds abroad. Deterrence is the name of the game.

In August and September of 2023, the Biden administration facilitated Tehran's access to $6 billion in oil revenues, sanctions that had previously been placed on Iran as a signal of strength, waivers that had been moved by the Biden administration.

As currently written, in H.R. 5961 the only thing that is being frozen is the $6 billion of Iranian funds currently in Qatar. It does not freeze other Iranian-sanctioned funds, such as the sanctions waiver announced by the Biden administration last week which would allow Iraq to send $10 billion to Iran.

The Founders intended us to have a system of checks and balances, and that is exactly what my amendment would do.

My amendment would freeze all Iranian-sanctioned funds, not just the $6 billion in Qatar. Additionally, it would prohibit the President from using any sort of waiver authority, including licenses, guidance, or FAQs to lift the sanctions.

As we have seen, we cannot trust this administration to hold fast, to have a strong deterrent policy, and to send the Iranian regime a strong signal.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn), my good friend and fellow Air Force veteran.

Mr. Chair, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. Chair, the failed strategy of appeasement has not worked. Deterrence is what is needed.

President Biden must reverse course on his policy toward Iran to stop terrorism from impacting us here. The system is blinking red.

My amendment strengthens this bill. It puts deterrence at the forefront of the global stage. It restricts any money from going to Iran that they would use to foment terrorism and chaos throughout not only the Middle East but also here in our home.

Mr. Chair, our Homeland Security depends on this amendment and depends on passage of this bill. I urge all of my colleagues across the aisle here on the Republican side to support this amendment and to pass this bill.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with immense pride and gratitude that I join in honoring the November 17, 2023 dedication of the new Texas Tech University Wall of Honor,

Military & Veterans Tribute Walk at Pfluger Fountain. The names of Texas Tech alumni who fought in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Iraqi and Afghanistan Wars, and others, can now be found at the memorial.

This powerful tribute encapsulates the unwavering commitment and sacrifices of our military service members and veterans. It stands as a testament to Texas Tech's commitment to honor and remember the generations of Texas Tech military service members and veterans who have served to protect and defend our freedom.

As Texas Tech reaches its centennial milestone, I commend Texas Tech leadership, the Texas Tech Alumni Association, and the Texas Tech Military & Veterans Alumni Network for this heartfelt recognition of the veterans who have played an integral role in the 100-year history of the university.

May this memorial serve as a perpetual reminder of the courage and selflessness embodied by our Texas Tech military and veterans.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to present an amendment that

holds the key to accountability and transparency in the aftermath of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

The amendment I am proposing to the fiscal year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill targets a critical issue within the National Institutes of Health, NIH, Office of the Director. Specifically, it aims to reduce funding by $3,748,715. That is an amount equivalent to the grant awarded to EcoHealth Alliance, Incorporated, for their research on ``Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence'' at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overstated. Lives were lost, businesses shuttered, and families torn apart. It is a collective responsibility to address the origins of this crisis, and my proposed amendment aligns with three fundamental principles that I have consistently emphasized while being in Congress.

First, we must uncover the truth of the pandemic's origins. This shouldn't be a Republican or Democrat thing. This is an American thing. Second, we must hold those involved responsible and accountable. Last, we must provide the American people with full transparency.

After nearly 4 years of investigation, substantial evidence now points to the Wuhan Institute of Virology as the source of the COVID-19 virus. Disturbingly, it has come to light that the Wuhan lab conducted this research funded by the United States Government. While the Department of Health and Human Services has taken action against the institution, it is evident that more must be done.

The HHS Office of Inspector General released a report in January of this year, January of 2023, revealing that the NIH failed to effectively monitor or address EcoHealth's compliance with certain requirements. Shockingly, the NIH only began investigating the Wuhan Institute's role in the pandemic at the outset of the crisis. This lack of foresight is unacceptable, especially considering the potential consequences of such research.

Moreover, the investigation brought to light EcoHealth's delayed submission of a critical report containing evidence of a virus with enhanced growth, a report that should have been reported immediately. This is just one instance of the NIH's failure to exercise proper oversight.

In light of these findings, it is imperative that we hold the NIH accountable for its shortcomings. The American people deserve an assurance that our agencies are performing their duties diligently and responsibly, especially when the consequences are as far-reaching as the global pandemic was.

The HHS's report highlights a series of lapses in NIH's monitoring and oversight. Given these documented failures, I strongly believe that the NIH should face consequences for its role in the mishandling of funds and lack of oversight. Our amendment sends a clear message that we, as representatives of the American people, will not tolerate negligence that results in such catastrophic outcomes.

In conclusion, let us come together to pass this crucial amendment, demonstrating our commitment to accountability, transparency, and the well-being of the American people. It is time to act decisively and ensure that our agencies fulfill their responsibilities to prevent future crises of this magnitude.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. Chair, I disagree with my colleague from Connecticut. The American people want the NIH to succeed. We need the NIH to succeed, but the American people are also saying, show us transparency. Tell us what is going on.

When the government is trusted, then we can actually get results and do good things for the American people. This is about trust. In fact, $3.7 million, I think that is a small price to pay when it comes to the price that Americans paid.

Yes, I urge this to be a bipartisan amendment, that we have transparency. If you are on the side of the American people, who deserve better from government agencies, this should be an easy amendment.

Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, thank you for joining me today as I bring forth a matter of great concern and shed light on recently proposed regulatory changes that will severely impact Medicaid programs across the country, including Texas, and have profound consequences on the 90 million Americans who rely on Medicaid to access healthcare.

This year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, introduced materials that challenge the statutory language governing States' longstanding methods to fund the non-Federal share of the Medicaid payments.

Two documents, in particular, have raised significant concerns: the information bulletin on healthcare-related taxes and hold-harmless arrangements and specific provisions of CMS's proposed rule titled ``Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care Access, Finance, and Quality.''

The amendment I am proposing to the fiscal year 2024 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill will protect the safety net in Texas and many other States and ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries continue to receive the essential care by prohibiting Federal funds from being used to finalize, implement, and enforce harmful policies that will severely limit States' ability to draw down critical Federal Medicaid payments.

For the most part, I applaud CMS for pushing forward with a comprehensive regulation to overhaul the structure of Medicaid-managed care programs.

I acknowledge the potential positive impact of certain provisions that could enhance access to coverage and care, if implemented. However, there are legitimate concerns that specific policies within this framework will compromise States' access to vital financial resources, undermining the intended improvements.

Firstly, CMS's recently proposed changes directly contradict the understanding that Texas and other States have relied on for years to operate their Medicaid programs.

As Judge Kernodle recently stated in his ruling enjoining CMS from using their unsupported interpretation: ``CMS may not rewrite clear statutory terms to suit its own sense of how the statute should operate.''

Secondly, the proposed rule expands CMS's authority over State- directed payments by granting the agency the power to withhold approval or retroactively deny already approved State directed payments if it believes they are financed with impermissible non-Federal dollars.

This newfound discretion may introduce uncertainties into States' Medicaid financing structures, potentially hindering their ability to implement and maintain State-directed payments that contribute to the welfare of Medicaid beneficiaries.

To sum it up, these proposed policies are an overreach and the latest efforts in a series of Federal actions seeking to erode States' flexibility, increase oversight, and curtail arrangements that help hospitals draw down Federal funds and provide much-needed access to care for not only Texas patients but patients in many other States.

If enacted, policies of this kind would accelerate hospital closures, limit access to care for low-income Americans, and leave States with a more significant financial Medicaid burden.

Mr. Chair, I urge each of my colleagues to support this amendment and recognize the gravity of this situation. My amendment aims to safeguard consistent, predictable, and adequate funding, ensuring access to care for all Americans, especially those in vulnerable situations.

Your support is crucial in protecting the stability of our hospitals and ensuring that Medicaid beneficiaries continue to receive the care that they deserve.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I appreciate my colleague from Connecticut, and I think we probably have the same aim, which is to have care and access to that care.

For States like Texas that chose not to expand Medicaid, this rule is particularly damaging. Again, I can't stress enough how the risk of the overreach of the Federal Government will hurt those who want to access care.

The proposed rule expands the authority of our State directed payments and has the ability to withhold the approval or retroactively deny already approved State directed payments. In reality, the access to care really is at stake.

I agree. We are both probably talking about a similar level of access. This rule will negatively impact that.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, it is unfortunate that we have to be here to talk about this. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, as the Representative of one of the most important energy production areas in the country, this is a national security issue.

The Biden administration's assault on our baseload, dispatchable generation of electricity has resulted in record-high prices for consumers and looming resource inadequacies throughout the country, and it has threatened our grid reliability.

Just a few weeks ago, the Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for Electricity, Mr. Rodrigues, testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee regarding policies to enhance the reliability and efficiency in powering American homes. I am sad to say that at this hearing, Mr. Rodrigues, who is the head of electricity at the Department of Energy, had no idea how much electricity the United States uses each year. He stated that the reason he was chosen for this position was not because he was a subject matter expert.

It saddens me to be standing here, but that is just not an acceptable position, and this glaring lack of knowledge is not okay. It is unacceptable from the head of the Department of Energy's electricity division.

This administration has worked every day to transform energy industries and to push a green agenda that doesn't work, that is not reliable, that doesn't take into account reliability. Their own named Assistant Secretary doesn't know how much electricity we use.

When you look at examples of what they have pushed for--a substantial increase in electric vehicles and other policies--you have to ask the question: If they don't know how much electricity we currently use, then will they know how much electricity we would require with their mandates for electric vehicles?

In Texas alone, if all of our cars were electrified today, just as an example, the State would need approximately an additional 110 terawatt- hours of electricity per year, the average annual electricity consumption of 11 million homes. The added electricity demand would result in a 30 percent increase over current consumption. That is the kind of example that I expect Mr. Rodrigues and others within the Department of Energy to know.

This is a gigantic increase in demand. This administration continues to put American producers and consumers in a bad situation. It is critical that we have good leadership at DOE.

Let me make this clear: I want the Assistant Secretary to be successful. We should all want these people in leadership positions to be successful. If he succeeds, our country wins. However, when you are the Assistant Secretary for Electricity and don't know every detail about electricity in the United States, then you are not succeeding.

It is for that reason that I recommend this amendment to reduce his salary to $1 and remind DOE of their core mission, which is to help Americans with reliable and affordable energy.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, the most important tool our country has is energy. It is the underpinning of our economy. It forms a foundational piece of our national security. We see this playing out in all parts of the world right now.

The prosperity of our country rests on the abundant natural resources that we have that no other country has. We are blessed to have those natural resources.

This has been reaffirmed as Americans have seen the events unfold in places like Ukraine. Make no mistake, the single biggest important impetus for Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine was the belief that Vladimir Putin would not weaponize energy, and he did.

We recognize the critical importance of secure, abundant, affordable resources and affordable energy better than anywhere else. Because we know what it takes to produce it, we understand how devastating it would be to lose it, and we see the potential before us if we had the opportunity to unleash our full energy capabilities.

Our Nation is blessed with natural resources and a strong, innovative spirit that encapsulates the American character. Nowhere is this more evident than in my own district with the Permian Basin, which produces over 40 percent of the country's oil production.

While climate alarmists scream that oil and gas are bad, I feel confident in saying that if they were serious about reducing carbon emissions, we would actually produce it here, where we do it much cleaner, much better, more efficiently, and with higher labor standards than anywhere else. Don't export that to our adversaries.

Unfortunately, this administration has done just that. They would rather look to our adversaries for energy than embrace the innovation that is being done right here at home.

When looking to supply the energy needs for Americans, I respectfully ask that the President call the mayor of Midland, Texas, not OPEC, for our energy needs.

At a time when our world is increasingly destabilized, our Nation needs us to lead from the front. Our domestic energy production is too important an asset to be left out of our national security toolkit, and we must use this unique asset not only for our benefit here domestically but around the world.

LNG, much of which is produced in the Permian Basin--10 percent, by the way, worldwide--will play the leading role in helping reach developing nations to provide them with clean, affordable, reliable energy to power their economies.

Global demand for LNG will continue to increase, with estimates nearly double what it is now in the next 20 years.

This is a massive opportunity for our country to lead, and if we don't have advisers in this administration who think critically about American energy as a national security tool, the consequences will be severe.

Under this administration, senior advisers have praised China as a leader in clean energy, begged OPEC to produce more oil than doing it here domestically and tried to sabotage the credibility of American producers here.

That is why I am leading an amendment to reduce the salary of Andrew Light, the Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, to $1. We need the administration to focus on our own strength, our own inventions, and our own capabilities.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legacy of Mr. Jim Henry.

Mr. Henry's legacy is one of true innovation and foresight. His pioneering work in the Permian Basin oilfields, particularly in opening the Wolfberry play, laid the groundwork for the shale revolution that reinvigorated the entire region. His dedication, expertise, and tireless efforts transformed not only the industry but also the lives of countless families throughout America and beyond.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mr. Henry was known for his generous spirit and philanthropy. He understood the importance of giving back to the community that had given him so much.

As a prominent businessman in Midland, Texas, said, he was a legend and a sweet man at the same time, a rare combination.

His legacy will be forever woven into the fabric of the Permian Basin, a testament to the power of vision, hard work, and dedication.

Mr. Henry's family and loved ones are in my prayers and in my thoughts. Our community will continue to honor Jim's remarkable achievements and his positive impact on the world.