Bilirakis & Other Republican House Leaders Warn Latest Biden Policy Change Will Lead to Higher Energy Costs

Washington, DC: After the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released an unprecedented update to its natural gas pipeline policy statement that will severely impede new and pending pipeline projects, causing energy costs across the country to remain sky-high and weakening America's energy independence, Congressman Gus Bilirakis and other House Republicans condemned the Administration for the negative impact its continued war against the oil and gas industry is having on American consumers.

"Americans are already feeling historic pain at the pump. Instead of unleashing American innovation, creating jobs, and lowering prices, this Administration keeps throwing up burdensome bureaucratic barriers," said Congressman Bilirakis. "These new rules will only further halt domestic energy production and prolong pain for consumers. Enough is enough! The catastrophic path Biden has set us on must be reversed."

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise added, "Once again, the Biden Administration sided with radical extremists to raise energy prices on American families and further erode our nation's energy security in the name of their radical climate agenda. FERC's new policy statement, which rests on shaky legal grounds and clearly goes beyond the authority and role that Congress gave it, will ensure that energy infrastructure will continue to be delayed and bogged down by costly red tape.For months now, dozens, if not hundreds, of natural gas pipeline applications have languished in front of this same Commission, contributing to record increases in energy costs for hard-working American families. President Biden's denial of access to abundant, clean American natural gas has further emboldened Russia and other dictatorships because the United States and our allies around the world are more reliant on unfriendly nations for our energy. Eliminating access to American natural gas is bad for the environment, will kill American jobs, and disproportionately hurts lower income families."

House Ways and Means Committee Republican Leader Kevin Brady noted: "This is more of the dangerous Green New Deal agenda that will block American energy infrastructure, drive prices higher and surrender America's energy independence to foreign countries. Wouldn't it be great if President Biden put American interests ahead of Russia and the Middle East?"