TL/DR –
Congressman Morgan Griffith criticizes the Biden administration’s decisions to fund undeveloped energy technologies and restrict the natural gas industry. He references the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which has $27 billion for Green New Deal projects, to be awarded by September 30th, and urges the need for thorough oversight to prevent waste and fraud. He also challenges Biden’s ban on permits for new liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects, arguing it hurts American job growth and national security, and contradicts previous support for Ukraine against Russia’s influence.
Washington Updates: A Perspective on Current Administration Decisions
People often inquire about Washington’s state of affairs. Despite some setbacks, I strive to work effectively, but current decisions from the Biden Administration can be exasperating.
The Administration’s decision-making process reminds me of Doctor Dolittle’s Pushmi-Pullyu character, an animal with two heads pulling in different directions.
The Biden Administration is allocating enormous amounts of taxpayer money to fund emerging energy technologies while simultaneously stifling the natural gas industry, a sector vital for economical family expenses and national security.
As chair of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I recently interrogated an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Senior Advisor concerning the newly established Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This fund, approved by the controversial Inflation Reduction Act, has set aside $27 billion for Green New Deal projects.
According to the act, all funds must be disbursed by September 30th, an overwhelming amount to allocate in such a short time. While I disagree with many aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act, an urgent need arises to put robust protocols in place to prevent misuse of these funds.
During the hearing, I inquired about the audit measures the EPA will implement to ensure grantees’ compliance and sub-grantees’ responsiveness to this Oversight Subcommittee.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) had previously mismanaged the distribution of loans to Solyndra between 2009 and 2011, costing taxpayers an additional $170 million.
Conversely, the Administration’s recent ban on new project permits for U.S. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) exports to non-free trade agreement countries, including all of Europe, is a conflicting policy.
Restricting LNG exports may have detrimental effects domestically and internationally. Hindering future LNG projects could harm natural gas infrastructure and eliminate thousands of well-paying American jobs. According to a 2017 ICF International report, the U.S. LNG industry was anticipated to create between 220,000 and 452,000 jobs and contribute between $50 billion and $73 billion to the U.S. economy by 2040.
U.S. LNG exports also safeguard national security interests. The U.S. increased LNG exports after Russia’s February 2022 Ukraine invasion to minimize Europe’s dependency on Russian gas.
Bulgarian Parliament members recently expressed gratitude for their transition from Russian to U.S. LNG, which provided a reliable energy source.
Therefore, the Biden Administration is financing new and experimental technology implementation while simultaneously withdrawing benefits from proven technological advancements. This push/pull approach also extends to their foreign affairs stance.
Despite advocating for Ukraine and exporting LNG to support Europe, new permit freezes will potentially aid Russia and harm Ukraine. These contradictory decisions need to be reevaluated for national and international benefits.
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