04.19.23

Republicans Want More American Energy Dominance. Democrats Want Less.

‘The Democrats fundamentally misunderstand both the economics and the geopolitics of American energy… Democrats want less American energy, less production, and less reliability. Republicans want more, more, more. More production. More independence. More affordability and more security.’

WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding energy:

“We are two years into this latest chapter of Washington Democrats’ war against domestic energy.

“America spent decades working toward affordable, reliable, energy independence. And Democrats have tried to reverse it all.

“Less exploration for American oil and gas. More dependence on immoral Chinese supply chains.

“Even as the left wants Big Government to gamble our whole grid on less reliable new technologies, they don’t even want to let us mine here on American soil for the rare earth minerals those technologies require!

“The Democrats fundamentally misunderstand both the economics and the geopolitics of American energy.

“The result is going to be fewer jobs for our workers, bigger bills for families, less security for our nation, and more vulnerability to foreign actors who don’t like us. 

“Just last week, the Biden EPA announced it will try to slap a radical and unprecedented new mandate on our country regarding electric vehicles.

“The same people who can’t handle inflation and can’t secure our border want to stick their noses into Americans’ garages and driveways.

“The Administration’s radical plan would cut down the marketplace of affordable and reliable vehicles that most Americans actually want to drive.

“It would massively increase demand on already highly-taxed electrical grids with no workable plan to grow capacity.

“And it would force rich liberals’ lifestyle choices onto the whole country. Good luck, farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans — California wants to dictate what you drive!

“See, California is the proving ground for these bad ideas. They’ve already set their own punitive targets for electric vehicle sales. And, surprise — the math doesn’t work.

“At the same time Governor Newsom is mandating his citizens buy electric vehicles, he is telling people not to plug them in, for fear of blackouts!

“California expects to see 15 times more electric vehicles on the roads and on their electrical grid by 2035. The same California that already had to spend last summer begging citizens to turn down their air conditioning because their grid can barely survive as it is!

“Democrats want less American energy, less production, and less reliability. Republicans want more, more, more. More production. More independence. More affordability and more security.

“The House Republican majority’s landmark H.R. 1 tackles this very issue. It would be a huge shot in the arm for American energy. But here in the Senate, the Democratic Leader controls the floor. And he’s declared this bill ‘dead on arrival.’

“It’s the clearest possible contrast:

“Republicans are fighting for cheaper and more reliable power; stronger supply chains; and a stronger America on the world stage… and Democrats are fighting us.”

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Related Issues: China, Energy, EPA, Senate Democrats