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Column: The Case for American Energy Dominance

March 31, 2023

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, comprehensive energy reform legislation aimed at protecting American energy independence and responsibly powering the country.   

The Lower Energy Costs Act is one of House Republicans' top priorities this Congress, aimed at addressing high energy costs fueled by President Biden’s war on American energy production. While the United States enjoyed stable, low energy prices from 2015-2020, the past few years have been hard on the pocketbooks of Wisconsin families, with peak prices last summer setting a record high.

Under the Trump administration, the United States became a net exporter of energy for the first time since 1952.  Yet, since taking office, President Biden has advanced policies that draw down production and diminish the nation’s energy supply. One of the biggest drivers of inflation over the last two years is the President’s efforts to cancel drilling leases, impose new regulations that raise costs, and discourage investment in traditional energy sources. Prices have increased in response to supply constraints and future production uncertainty.

Not only does America sit on abundant oil and gas reserves, but also rich deposits of critical minerals. In today’s digital age, we’ve become reliant on these minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, to build smartphones, computers, batteries and more. However, our mining and processing of these resources has not kept up with the demand, forcing the United States to become heavily reliant on China.

To succeed and remain a leader in tomorrow’s global economy, the United States must boost production of our own resources and decouple our supply chains from foreign, adversarial nations. No other country can better produce the energy and resources needed to power the future, while protecting the environment, than the United States. That’s why I proudly voted in favor of H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act.