Pallone Speaks Out Against Partisan, Backward-Looking Energy Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – As the world gathers in Paris to take meaningful action on climate change, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, continued his efforts to fight back against House Republicans’ assault on climate action. In advance of a vote tomorrow on H.R. 8 – legislation that attempts to roll back progress in energy efficiency and clean energy – Pallone spoke out against the bill and described how it devolved from a good-faith bipartisan effort to a partisan backward-looking piece of energy legislation. He also highlighted the unacceptable removal of a provision that would have provided pathways to employment for women, minorities and veterans, stating, “What does that say about Republicans so-called commitment to expanding job opportunities in the energy sector for minorities, women and those who have served our country? Unfortunately, it says all too much and none of it is good.”

On the House floor in opposition to the bill, Congressman Pallone continued, “H.R. 8 has one central theme binding its titles: an unerring devotion to the energy of the past. Provision after provision favors an energy policy dominated by fossil fuels and unnecessary energy use. It is the Republican Party’s 19th century vision for the future of U.S. energy policy in the 21st century.”

The bill contains multiple provisions that would alter or undermine existing laws designed to promote efficiency, and protect the environment, public health, and welfare. A summary of H.R. 8, describing its compilation of outdated energy policies on natural gas pipeline siting, electricity regulation, energy efficiency, building codes, and more, is available HERE.

Yesterday, Pallone also condemned a Republican bill to gut the critical public health protections in the Clean Air Act and attack the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to cut carbon pollution and address global climate change. His statement is available HERE.

Pallone’s full statement in opposition to H.R. 8 and describing the partisan process used to draft the legislation follows.

Statement of Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr.

Committee on Energy and Commerce

Floor Consideration of H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015

December 1, 2015

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, when Chairman Upton and I first talked about energy legislation, I was encouraged that we would be working together to develop a consensus, bipartisan bill. In the grand tradition of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, that is what we started to do. Spending months negotiating over language and finally reporting a bill from Subcommittee on a voice vote in July. That bill was modest but bipartisan, and was the result of good faith cooperation.

Unfortunately, that effort fell apart. H.R. 8 is not a bipartisan, consensus bill. Instead, the House is taking up a backward-looking piece of energy legislation at a time we need to move forward. H.R. 8 undermines the progress we’ve made in deploying the sustainable clean energy economy of the future. Although the title for H.R. 8 suggests we are authorizing improvements in energy infrastructure, the bill provides no funding or initiatives to address some of the significant energy infrastructure issues we are facing.

Meanwhile, the bill has only gotten worse since it left the committee, with an Upton managers amendment that strips out the few good provisions that remained. This so-called energy bill does nothing for solar, wind, or any other clean energy technology. .

And to top it off, the Republicans deleted a whole title of the bill written primarily by Subcommittee Ranking Member Rush: the 21st Century Workforce initiative. That title created a new program at DOE to help minorities, women and veterans find work and build careers in the energy industry. This was something that Republicans praised throughout the Committee process. In fact, the Energy Subcommittee Chairman even praised that title last night during testimony before the Rules Committee.

Yet, the bill before us doesn’t have that provision. What does that say about Republicans so-called commitment to expanding job opportunities in the energy sector for minorities, women and those who have served our country? Unfortunately, it says all too much and none of it is good.

H.R. 8 has one central theme binding its titles: an unerring devotion to the energy of the past. Provision after provision favors an energy policy dominated by fossil fuels and unnecessary energy use. It is the Republican Party’s 19th century vision for the future of U.S. energy policy in the 21st century.

The Administration opposes this bill. If it reaches the President’s desk, it will be vetoed. I, too, oppose H.R. 8 and I urge my colleagues to reject this attempt to roll back progress in energy efficiency and clean energy.

I reserve the balance of my time.