Hearings to examine the expected nomination of Chris Wright, to be Secretary of Energy.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

2025-01-15

Source: Congress.gov

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Good morning, and welcome to the very first hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during the 119th Congress.
It really is a privilege to serve in this capacity as chairman during such a pivotal moment in our nation's history, particularly as it relates to our nation's energy policies.
Mr. Wright, thank you so much for joining us, joining us no less on your birthday.
Now, people, you don't turn 30 twice in a lifetime.   But we can count today as your second 30th birthday, if you'd prefer.  I see that you're here with family and really enjoyed meeting each of them.  And we'll look forward to hearing you introduce them in a moment when we hear from you.  Your nomination, in many ways, really couldn't be coming at a more urgent time.  Over the past four years, Americans have suffered under a lot of policies that have made life more difficult, more uncertain, and more expensive.  Energy prices have soared.   driving up the cost of not only energy itself, but everything around it, everything from housing to healthcare, from gas to groceries.  And as a result, families have struggled to make ends meet.  As it turns out, you need energy to do just about everything.  And when the cost of energy goes up, the cost of everything else does too.
The Biden administration has completely failed.
to recognize the fundamental role that energy plays in our lives and the devastating consequences of excessive and unwise government intervention.  From the cost of goods to the strength of our national defense, affordable and reliable energy is the backbone of our economy and even our way of life.  Now, America is, of course, blessed with an abundant supply of natural resources.   We're blessed with oil and gas, with coal, even with nuclear and the ingenuity behind that, with geothermal, with hydropower, with wind and solar.  And it's our responsibility to figure out how to harness these things safely, affordably, and effectively.
Unfortunately, the Biden administration has done the exact opposite of those things.  On his very first day in office, President Biden
halted new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters, effectively cutting off access to resources that could have powered our economy and benefited the lives of ordinary Americans.  Over the past four years, this same administration has dismantled domestic energy production, canceled leases, and weaponized regulations to discourage investment in pipelines and critical energy infrastructure.
Instead of unleashing American energy, this
administration has instead decided to reduce our access to energy.  And they've reduced many of these tools within the Department of Energy to a political tool for advancing extreme climate policies, policies that prioritize ideology over innovation, security, and affordability.
These failures have caused devastating harm.
Skyrocketing energy prices don't just hit
consumers at the pump.
They raise the cost of manufacturing, transportation, and everything in between.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve has been recklessly drained to historic lows.
These policies have eroded our energy independence as a country, making us dangerously and unwisely reliant on foreign suppliers, including some adversarial nations.
This is why today's hearing is, I think, so important.
The Department of Energy's responsibilities are vast, maintaining our nuclear stockpile, fostering innovation through research and development, and ensuring affordable, reliable energy for the people.
If confirmed, Mr. Wright, you'll lead an agency with the potential to transform our energy future for the better.  Your track record as the founder and leader of Liberty Energy speaks volumes about your qualifications and about the expertise and know-how that you bring to the job.
You understand the energy sector,   and the many challenges that it faces, including and especially those from the government.
I'm eager to hear your plans for refocusing the Department of Energy on what ought to be its core mission, ensuring energy security, driving innovation, and lowering costs for American families.  American energy security is American national security.  You cannot separate them.  They are inextricably intertwined.  Producing more energy here at home
is a national imperative, and I look forward to working with you and your colleagues, the people you will work with at the Department of Energy, as well as my colleagues here on this committee, to ensure that the Department of Energy returns to its founding and all-important purpose.
Mr. Wright, the challenges you will face as Secretary of Energy are significant, but so is the opportunity to restore America's standing.   as an energy superpower.
I'm looking forward to the beginning of a collaborative effort to start a new course for our nation's energy policy.  Thank you for your willingness to serve, and I look forward to today's discussion.
And we'll turn now and hear now from our ranking member, Senator Heinrich.

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