Energy Security Must be Addressed by 118th Congress

For Immediate Release                                                                                         Contact: Abigail Graham: (202) 417-7235

November 9, 2022                                                                                

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) urges the newly-elected 118^th Congress to put the country on the path toward energy independence by enacting meaningful energy legislation and promoting regulatory reform. TPA asks lawmakers to carefully review the shortcomings of the 117^th Congress and the Biden administration, whose actions have curtailed domestic energy production, increased reliance on foreign sources of crude oil and natural gas, and ultimately increased costs for consumers.

TPA Executive Director, Patrick Hedger, offered the following statement:

“Over the last year, energy prices have increased by nearly 20 percent. This can largely be attributed to the Biden administration and the 117th Congress’ war on domestic production and failure to enact permitting reform. These left the country ill-prepared for situations like the war in Ukraine.

“On day one, the Biden administration made clear its stance on domestic production by canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, which was on track to be completed in 2022 and begin operations in early 2023. The administration has also banned the issuing of new drilling leases on federal lands. Both moves hurt consumers and the long-term energy security of the United States.

“The most important priority for the new Congress and energy policy must be to tackle permitting reform. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)’s mandated Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) take an average of 4.5 years to complete and cost the government more than $1 billion annually. Further, the same NEPA regulations enacted to promote environmentalism now stand as a barrier to innovation, with 42 percent of projects bogged down by the NEPA process being related to clean energy.

“Sustainable energy security will be one of the most pressing issues over the coming decades and the 118th Congress has a unique opportunity to ensure lasting reform that ensures protections for consumers and the environment alike.”

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Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.