Since President Biden took office, sky-high energy prices have burdened far too many New York families, making it unaffordable for far too many. The Biden administration blames the energy crisis on Vladimir Putin and America’s energy producers. In reality, it’s the result of a failed approach that pursues unattainable green-energy goals instead of realistic ones. If this approach continues, costs will keep skyrocketing while dependence on foreign sources increases.

This is exactly what has happened in New York. As New Yorkers know all too well, a 2014 decision by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, codified by the state Legislature in 2021, banned hydraulic fracturing in New York, which has been proved to lower emissions compared with other forms of oil and gas extraction. Governor Cuomo also halted the construction of numerous interstate gas pipelines and closed the Indian Point nuclear plant, all while failing to provide an achievable path for sustainable energy production. New York continues to consume vast amounts of natural gas, but we must import it, often at higher cost.

The Biden Administration’s current strategy is straight from the Cuomo-Hochul playbook. Immediately upon taking office, President Biden has done all he can to quash the oil and gas sector and put an end to domestic exploration. After canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and issuing a moratorium on energy production on federal lands and waters, the administration ramped up energy imports from Russia by 34%. Abroad, its lax policies toward Russia’s Nord Stream 2 left Europe even more vulnerable to Russia’s natural-gas coercion.

As the administration spurns domestic production, it has failed to articulate a serious alternative. Such a shortsighted approach will yield the same result nationally as it has in New York. As demand for energy remains steady and domestic supplies are cut off, the cost-of-living rises, good jobs disappear, and our reliance on imported energy increases.

The fact is, we do not have to choose between clean, affordable energy and protecting our environment. We can and must do both. In Congress, I am supporting a robust package of legislative initiatives to do just that – expand safe, clean, reliable American energy while continuing to be a good steward of our environment. Over the past decade, our nation’s embrace of natural gas has allowed us to reduce carbon dioxide emissions at a greater margin than any other country. Future technological innovations share the potential of building on this environmental success while making our energy more dependable and affordable.

Upstate New York is home to some of our nation's most beautiful landscapes. Through commonsense conservation and pro-energy policies, we can do our part to preserve these treasures for future generations, while unleashing prosperity. I encourage you to read more about the initiatives I support in Congress to deliver affordable energy and a healthy environment.

Unleashing American Energy Production

 

• Support H.R. 543, the Protecting Our Wealth of Energy and Resources (POWER) Act: This bill would reverse President Biden’s job-killing and price-raising Executive Orders banning oil and gas leasing on federal lands. Prohibiting the president from issuing arbitrary moratoria on leasing on federal lands will solidify American energy and mineral independence for generations to come.

 

• Support H.R. 2604, the Accessing America’s Critical Minerals Act: For decades activists groups have hijacked the land and mineral permitting process, which has only served to make us even more reliant on foreign nations for the minerals required to make semiconductors, batteries, and solar panels. This bill will prevent duplication of work in the permitting process and keep the process confined to reasonable time frame.

 

• Support H.R. 684, the Keystone XL Pipeline Construction and Jobs Preservation Act: This bill would reverse President Biden’s job-killing Executive Order halting construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. It would finally allow the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline to resume construction, creating new American jobs while safely transporting oil through the safest and cleanest means available.

 

Investing in Clean, Affordable Energy

 

• Introduced H.R. 4153, the Clean Energy Future Through Innovation Act: This bipartisan legislation that I co-led with several members of Congress uses innovation and regulatory reform to drive a least-cost, fuel diverse modernization of the electric power sector. This bill requires an 80% CO2 reduction in the power sector by 2050 while also decreasing the cost of electricity for American families and businesses.

 

• Support H.R. 1588, the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act: This bill would promote innovative projects in hydropower and modernize the licensing process for future hydropower projects. As the largest producer of hydropower east of the Rockies, this bill will allow New York to harness more power from its abundant water resources.

 

• Support H.R. 1748, the Strengthening Nuclear Competitiveness Act: This bill would improve the competitiveness of American civilian nuclear commerce and cut down on the burdensome Department of Energy review process of nuclear technology exports. This will solidify our nation as a leader in safe, reliable, and clean nuclear technology.

 

Protecting our Natural Environment

 

• Support H.R. 2639, the Trillion Trees Act: This bipartisan legislation would ensure the United States is at the forefront of the worldwide One Trillion Trees initiative. This initiative is intended to grow and conserve one trillion trees globally, sequestering roughly two-thirds of all manmade carbon emissions remaining in the atmosphere today.

 

• Support Federal Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund: This fund, using no taxpayer money, invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to protect the natural beauty of our lands and waterways and provide recreational opportunities to all. The fund is used both to provide grants to state and local governments and for the federal government to acquire land and waters and to assist with recreation management.

 

• Support Federal Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative targets the biggest threats to the Great Lakes such as toxic substances and invasive species. The Great Lakes are one of the world’s most important water sources for drinking, transportation, recreation, and power generation. That’s why it is vitally important that we continue to protect them for generations to come.

 

Securing Energy Independence from Our Adversaries

 

• Support H.R. 6919, the Prohibition on Imports of Russian Oil Act: This bill would immediately cease all U.S. imports of Russian oil and other petroleum-based energy products. This bill would hold Vladimir Putin accountable for its unprovoked and ruthless attack on Ukraine. The United States has been purchasing nearly 700,000 barrels of Russian oil and other petroleum products per day, and therefore indirectly funding Putin’s war machine. This legislation would cause crippling effects on Putin’s regime.

 

• Support H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act: This bill would require President Biden to submit an energy security plan to Congress to evaluate U.S. oil and natural gas imports, identify importing countries that pose an energy security risk to America, and encourage domestic production of oil and natural gas to offset imports from Russia. The bill would also immediately approve the Keystone XL pipeline and unleash U.S. LNG exports to boost domestic natural gas production.

 

• Support H.R. 6894, the No Energy Revenues for Russian Hostilities Act of 2022: This bill would close a loophole in recently announced U.S. sanctions against Russia to limit transactions with Russian oil and gas producers. This legislation would hit the heart of the Russian economy and impose real costs on its lucrative energy sector as long as it continues its brutal war in Ukraine.

• Support H.R. 6740, the Midland Over Moscow Act: This bill would impose sanctions related to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and revises the expedited approval process for natural gas imports and exports in or out of the United States. This would boost private investment in our domestic energy sector.