As World Braces for Energy Shortage, Democrats Want War on Affordable American Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Democrats’ reckless tax and spending spree:

“While Washington Democrats neglect basic governance, they’re still trying to write another reckless taxing and spending spree behind closed doors.

“Many details are still fuzzy, but one basic truth is very clear: Their far-left wish list will hurt families and help China.

“New pain and new burdens for American families… and new advantages for competitors like China.

“Take for example the Democrats’ radical anti-energy agenda that is downstream from the Green New Deal.

“This sprawling plan for more Washington intrusion into families’ everyday lives is set to upend the reliable and affordable domestic energy that drives our country.

“The Democrats’ efforts to enforce elite liberal fashions would directly target the jobs and industries that support some of the hardest-working blue-collar communities in America.

“Some families would lose their livelihoods altogether.

“Many more would face higher heating bills, higher electric bills, and higher prices to put gas in their cars. Democrats want to tear a big hole in Americans’ wallets right where they can least afford it.

“Right now, as we speak, many of our allies in Europe are preparing for major energy disruption this winter.

“Here are a few recent headlines:

“‘Europeans brace for hard winter as energy price surge hits households.’

“‘Empty shelves, gasoline shortages and sky-high energy prices? Britain is facing a ‘difficult winter.’’

“‘Germans’ Green Energy Resolve Faces Pain in Post-Election Winter.’

“From just yesterday: ‘Europe’s Energy Crisis Is Coming for the Rest of the World, Too.’

“This is no time for America to declare war on our own independence, on the affordable forms of energy that power this country.

“The rest of the world is battening down the hatches for a global natural gas crunch that could leave entire countries rationing winter heat. And President Biden wants to let radical progressives declare war on American fossil fuels?

“Is this a joke?

“This latest taxing and spending spree would open multiple new fronts in the Big Government war on fossil fuels.

“It would make our electricity grid more like California’s — higher costs, less reliability, more blackouts.

“It would slap countless new costs and fees on domestic production and ban important prospects for U.S. drilling.

“It would double down on the Obama Administration’s ham-fisted effort to police emissions that was so legally bizarre it couldn’t get past the Supreme Court.

“American families and American workers benefit from energy that is affordable and abundant. Washington Democrats are pursuing far-left policies that would reduce supply and jack up prices.

“So Democrats’ plans would have American families hurting badly.

“But it’s not even like all this sacrifice would buy us some big national advantage. It’s the opposite.

“Their proposals would be a huge gift to adversaries like Russia and China. They would set the United States back on the global stage.

“To give just one example, the Democrats are drafting blunt mandates for more solar panels.

“Somebody should tell our colleagues that China currently supplies about three quarters of the world’s solar panels. They’ve also largely cornered the market on some of the necessary raw materials and critical minerals.

“So we’re going to borrow money from China to send a windfall right back to Chinese miners and manufacturers?

“That’s the master plan?

“I’m not sure any of these ideas have received more than five minutes of thought. But in a matter of days they want to turn all these harebrained schemes into law.

“And the Chinese solar bailout is just one example. Look at the big picture.

“Countries that wish us harm will be thrilled to see America make ourselves less competitive and more reliant on imports.

“They’ll go roaring by us, increasing their prosperity — and emissions — no matter what we do.

“Hurts families; helps China.

“A war on American energy just as the rest of the world is steeling for shortages.

“It’s just one piece of the Democrats’ reckless taxing and spending spree.

“Along with historic tax hikes, more intrusion into families’ lives, and new IRS snooping in every citizen transaction over a few hundred dollars.

“Hurting families and helping China."