The HEAT Report

The HEAT Report is a weekly newsletter focusing on how members of the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) promote American energy security, and an all-of-the-above energy economy. 

The Latest:

Last week, Democrats advanced their partisan COVID-relief package without any meaningful attempts to engage Republicans. Nine of the twelve committees that received reconciliation instructions held hybrid markups where Republicans offered thoughtful amendments primarily focused on providing targeted assistance to ensure it goes to the people who need it most.

Several Republicans offered amendments to push back against President Biden’s anti-American energy agenda and to support struggling energy workers whose livelihoods have been destroyed by President Biden’s assault on American energy production. Democrats rejected virtually every amendment on a party line vote.

Meanwhile, an unprecedented winter storm has left millions without power across the South as they face the coldest temperatures in decades. In Texas alone, more than 4 million customers still had no electricity Tuesday morning. Customers are facing rolling blackouts and life-threatening conditions due to yet another rare event – a multi-day, state-wide winter freeze in Texas—that will continue to inhibit energy supply this week. Even natural gas and coal, which historically are expected to provide the vast majority of power to the state, were unable to live up to the significant demands due to cold weather and scheduled maintenance that took plants offline.

This placed the spotlight on another problem – Texas’s increasing reliance on windmills to generate electricity has shown that when renewables cannot reliably produce the small amount of energy that they’re expected to, households across the country suffer. Unfortunately, what has happened in Texas offers a prelude to the radical energy agenda that President Biden supports, including top-down government mandates and an abandonment of a low-cost, reliable, market-driven energy economy. Instead, President Biden must work with Republicans to develop an all-of-the-above energy strategy that keeps Americans safe.

This Week’s HEAT Member Highlights:

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Fox Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith and highlighted his visit with Southeast Louisiana energy workers whose livelihoods depend on the American energy production that President Biden is threatening to destroy. Whip Scalise emphasized that Congress should be focused on helping these struggling workers—not the impeachment trial of a president who is already out of office.

Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) offered an amendment during the House Energy & Commerce Committee Budget Reconciliation markup to authorize the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Representative French Hill (R-Ark.) hosted a press conference highlighting how President Biden’s executive order revoking the Keystone XL pipeline permit has slashed thousands of jobs.

Representative Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) visited a small, independent fracturing operation in Southeast Ohio.

Representative Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) offered an amendment during the House Energy and Commerce Committee markup on budget reconciliation legislation that would prohibit the Executive branch from issuing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing to protect American jobs and businesses and keep energy prices low, especially as we seek to recover from the pandemic.

Representative Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) blasted John Kerry for telling unemployed energy workers they would be the ones to “make the solar panels.”

Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.) introduced three amendments during the House Oversight & Reform Committee Budget Reconciliation markup that would prevent COVID relief funds from being used to support the implementation of the Paris Climate Accords, bans on oil and gas exploration, or government entities that have cut law enforcement funding.

Representative Ron Estes (R-Kansas) sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Jane Nishida requesting information on steps the Biden Administration will take to address the pollution caused by the production of electric vehicles. The letter reads in part:

Energy News:

House GOP Actions:

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), and over 100 House Republicans sent a letter to President Biden urging him to rescind his oil and gas leasing moratorium due to the devastating impacts this ill-conceived policy will have on a major sector of our economy while millions of Americans are unemployed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Republican Members of the Texas delegation sent a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott encouraging Texas’ efforts to combat federal overreach that is threatening the energy industry. The letter was signed by Texas Reps. Chip Roy, Ronny Jackson, August Pfluger, Jodey Arrington, Dan Crenshaw, Randy Weber, Louie Gohmert, Michael Cloud, Michael McCaul, Lance Gooden, Brian Babin, Roger Williams, and Pat Fallon.

Headlines:

The Response on Social Media:

🔥House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) calls out President Biden’s false promises.

🔥Representative Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) refutes claims made in a misleading think tank report.