December 16th, 2022

• American natural gas is affordable, clean, abundant, and reliable energy. We urge our representatives to use TEA’s common sense energy agenda and this Northwood University study to provide Americans a path to affordable cost of living and energy independence.
• Solar panels have a negative effect on the environment.
• Natural gas prices to skyrocket this winter.
• U.S. doubling exports of natural gas to Great Britain.
• To end climate lunacy stop treating global warming, CO2 hysterically.
• Innovation is allowing us to turn methane from biogas into energy.

With Christmas and harsh winter weather approaching, let’s be mindful of the importance of energy affordability to keep our holiday spirits high.

Energy affordability means more money in working class families’ wallets to do things, versus overcharging credit cards or burning up their savings due to higher prices for everything from ham and eggnog to a new bicycle for little Johnny or Susie.

• Inflation isn’t stopping people from opening up their wallets. Americans are racking up credit card debt even as interest rates hit a multi-decade high.
• Credit cards are the most popular financing choice for 62% of respondents who said they took on holiday debt in 2021, a survey revealed.
• Winter also means higher fuel bills, as evidenced here, with natural gas prices soaring 10%. The cold snap is expected to start next weekend and peak right on Christmas in the bulk of the country,
• West Coast power and gas prices have more than doubled over the past couple of weeks — with gas hitting multi-year highs — as freezing weather and snow blankets parts of California and gas pipeline outages and constraints limit flows of the fuel from Texas.

All of that amounts to the Grinch trying to steal Christmas. But this holiday is about joy and hope. So let’s all keep these points in mind as we prepare to put gifts under our trees, gather with loved ones and celebrate this most wonderful time of the year.

• Natural gas is the only energy source that is environmentally sound, while capable of powering our economy and securing America’s energy independence.
• Affordable natural gas saves an average family of four about $2,500 a year.
• Households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and other appliances save an average $879 per year compared to homes using electricity for such appliances.

Bottom Line:  TEA’s eight-point common sense energy agenda is a step-by-step guide on how to achieve energy independence with American natural gas. It is affordable, clean, abundant and reliable energy.

Here is the latest example from the “do-as-we-say, not-as-we-do” crowd.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, an advocate of increased government action to curb carbon emissions, has taken at least 18 flights using taxpayer-funded private jets since taking office, according to this Fox News Digital report.
Buttigieg has been a vocal proponent of climate action and has repeatedly warned of the dangers posed by human-caused global warming. A few facts, based on this recent report:

• While the exact taxpayer cost of Buttigieg’s flights is unclear, the FAA has charged federal agencies roughly $5,000 per hour to use its fleet, the Washington Post reported amid the congressional investigation into Trump officials’ travel in 2017.
• According to the flight data, Buttigieg used two taxpayer-funded Cessna 560XL private jets for trips in the 22 months since President Joe Biden selected him to lead the Department of Transportation.
• Private jets are 10 times more carbon intensive than commercial planes and 50 times more carbon intensive than trains, notes a 2021 report from the group Transport & Environment.

If this rings with a familiar hypocritical tune, it should. You’ll recall that President Biden and special climate envoy John Kerry have taken similar junkets at taxpayers’ expense.

• Biden’s numerous trips to Delaware have cost taxpayers $11 million.
• Kerry’s family jet has emitted 300 metric tons of carbon since Biden took office.
• Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is pushing for federal agencies to eliminate gas heat in their buildings. She wants to spend $3 billion to boost EV batteries through federal grants — and told working Americans to spend $55,000 on an electric vehicle.

Bottom Line: Preaching the importance of reducing your carbon footprint while galavanting around the world in a private jet is not the most credible strategy for selling your message.

Gas prices are still on the decline, and you won’t hear anyone complaining about that! The national average is now $3.19 per gallon, down from $3.33 a week ago. A big part of this precipitous decline has been the winter season, with less daylight and more inclement weather conditions resulting in less people hitting the road.

As much as President Biden tries to take credit for this early Christmas gift, we all know that his actions are the reason prices were so high to begin with. That’s like the Grinch asking for a thank you when he returned all the gifts to Whoville!

Nothing on the calendar for next week, enjoy the Christmas break!

“We truly can have the best of both worlds, a cleaner, safer planet and energy independence. We just need to harvest America’s abundant natural energy resources and rely on good old- fashioned American innovation to get there.”

—  Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)

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