October 27th, 2023

• Stay up to date on all things energy by visiting the TEA Newsroom.
• Natural Gas CARES: It is the world’s Cleanest, Affordable, Reliable Energy Source.
• Robert Bryce essay: Powering the unplugged.
• A giant grid bottleneck is threatening climate goals.
• FERC approves wave of gas projects as Democrats fume.
• Warning: Biden’s green energy loan program ripe for abuse.
• Republicans accelerate investigation into Haaland over ties to left-wing eco group.
• GM abandons EV quotas citing low consumer interest, followed by Ford.

The issue: Combining American energy independence with democratic ideals makes the entire world a safer and more prosperous place.

Why it matters: Democracy has always been the foundation on which true independence is built — and that applies to energy independence no less than other freedoms. We are safer and more secure when America leads, and our allies are safer and more secure when America supports their energy independence. This has become increasingly apparent with the Hamas attacks on Israel and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Consider: 

• FERC approved several natural gas projects including a large expansion in the Pacific Northwest. We applaud this decision, as it advances US energy independence and makes the world a safer and more prosperous place.
• The Mountain Valley Pipeline, meanwhile, hit yet another recent snag and could be delayed even further. This project, long overdue, needs to get done.
• That disclosure arrives after the Supreme Court handed developers of the Mountain Valley pipeline a critical win in July, undoing a construction freeze and allowing work on the gas project to restart. Legal and energy experts don’t expect opponents to be able to stop it, however.

The Empowerment Alliance’s Common Sense Energy Agenda spells it out: Secure America’s energy independence with natural gas and make the world safer. Affordable, clean, abundant energy is the roadmap to a safe and prosperous existence.

Bottom Line: The more America powers the world, the more secure it becomes for billions of freedom-loving people.

The issue: President Biden’s war on oil and reckless economic policies have imperiled our national security. The New York Post editorial is spot on in highlighting where we are as the terrorist-led war in Israel rages into its third week.

Why it matters: The Middle East may erupt any day, threatening oil exports from the region; Russian oil remains banned as its war in Ukraine rages on.

Yet Biden’s done everything in his power to halt domestic oil production, to please the Green Hypocrisy extremists and hurt American natural gas and oil companies, their employees and the average consumer.

In addition, China tightened its hold on exporting graphite, a key material in building batteries. China is the world’s top graphite producer and exporter. It also refines more than 90% of the world’s graphite into the material that is used in virtually all electric vehicle battery anodes, which is the negatively charged portion of a battery.

This only gives China additional leverage on the United States as Biden pushes for more EV production from domestic automakers.

Consider:

• US oil production has fallen by as much as 3 million barrels a day, or nearly 20%, from its Trump-era trajectory, the Committee to Unleash Prosperity finds.
• Meanwhile, Biden’s reckless economic plans — spending trillions — have rocketed up prices, including for oil and gas at the pump.
• The reserves — unlike oil in the ground — are extremely limited, and thus precious. Which is precisely why they’re supposed to be used only for real national emergencies.
• Draining the SPR has now left the nation dangerously short at a time when it could be needed.

Bottom Line: Biden endangered our national security, massively increased gas and energy prices, empowered America’s enemies and sold out the auto labor force to China… all to appease the green activists.

Autumn is in full swing, and history tells us this a time when gas prices normally “fall” (see what we did there?). Historical trends seem to be holding true, as the average price for a gallon of gasoline dropped 4 cents over the last 7 days, down to $3.52. Experts say if not for the conflict in the Middle East, gas prices would be falling faster. In other words, a swift resolution to the conflict in Israel would help bring prices down even further.

Hearing On Climate Change And Weather Events: On Wednesday, November 1, the Senate Environment and Public  Works Committee will have a hearing to examine the science of extreme event attribution, focusing on how climate change is fueling severe weather events.

“The U.S. has the capability to produce clean, affordable, American-made energy. Joe Biden’s refusal to do so speaks volumes.”

-Newly-minted Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) on X.