Where I Stand

Current US energy policy strangles the US economy, erodes US energy independence, and weakens our national security. Far too often, our current policies also increase global pollution. It’s time for the US to become the arsenal of energy for the world. It’s time to end worldwide reliance on Russia and China for dirty fossil fuels. For example:

• President Biden shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline to send the message that he’s serious about the climate. But shutting down Keystone will actually increase carbon emissions. Why? Because the world still needs fuel. Keystone would have been the first pipeline in history to operate 100% on clean energy. But, with the pipeline shut down, fuel has to be transported on trucks, or even worse made and sold by China and Russia. That’s just terrible policy. Shutting down Keystone is not just empty virtue-signaling – it actually increases carbon emissions while claiming to reduce them and ships American jobs to Russia and China.
• President Biden also blocked new oil and gas leases on federal lands. But decreasing U.S. production actually increases carbon emissions. Why? Because the U.S. has the best technology and innovation in the world to responsibly develop our natural resources. Instead of relying on our cleaner fossil fuels, Biden asked Russia, the Middle East, and Venezuela to increase their production of dirty oil and gas to meet world energy needs. Not only did Biden’s decision increase carbon emissions, but he also eliminated well-paying Utah jobs. He eliminated $1.4 billion in gross domestic product and $664 million in lost wages. To make matters worse, President Biden has dipped into the reserves we worked so hard to build. The U.S. is no longer energy-independent–we are energy dependent. We have, in fact, become dependent on our enemies for some of our energy needs. Our national security is at greater risk. We are unable to supply our allies with fuel in this moment of international crisis. The unintended consequences of these misguided climate policies are far-reaching as we have seen as gas prices have risen $1.90 since Biden took office.

The best energy policies not only ensure we are good environmental stewards, but they also put the U.S. economy on steroids, support U.S. energy independence, and promote national and international security.

We need to hold China and Russia accountable for their energy policies that will soon account for the majority of the world’s pollution. Focusing solely on domestic carbon reduction has little impact on the climate. After all, the U.S. is responsible for only 11% of all carbon emissions worldwide. And we have already reduced our carbon emissions more than the next 12 carbon-emissions-reducing countries combined. We didn’t do it through government mandates or elite meetings in global forums. We didn’t do it through international agreements that let China off the hook. We did it through U.S. innovations like fracking. Exporting U.S. energy will help other countries reduce pollution, as well.

Republicans need to go on the offensive with a robust global energy agenda and I’m leading that fight. A Republican energy agenda is the best way to fight the left’s far-reaching and destructive climate agenda like the ill-conceived Green New Deal. U.S. fossil fuels are key to reducing carbon emissions around the world. If we did nothing but replace Russia’s dirty natural gas and China’s dirty coal with U.S. clean natural gas in Europe and Asia, that one policy solution would reduce more carbon emissions than all provisions of the Green New Deal combined. It would also put the U.S. economy on steroids, improve national and international security, and establish U.S. energy independence.

This past year I launched the Conservative Climate Caucus to arm Republicans with a strong energy agenda to fight against radical progressive climate proposals that would hurt our economy, American workers, and national security. The Conservative Climate Caucus has been so successful that it is now the second-largest caucus in Congress. We are making the case that Republicans have better solutions for taking care of the Earth. And our free market solutions make America stronger too.