House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) joined Energy Subcommittee me on a letter to Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Christopher Hanson and Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm regarding the nuclear licensing process. The Members emphasized the importance of developing advanced nuclear reactors and expressed concerns about the licensing process slowing forward progress.

The importance of having secure, stable, and reliable domestic energy supplies in America has never been more obvious. However, we are concerned that the current licensing process poses unique challenges for the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors, and if left unaddressed, has the potential to stifle United States innovation and slow the progress of essential next-generation clean energy technologies. In order for the United States to strengthen its energy independence, retain its leadership in energy innovation, and address global climate change, we must prioritize the commercialization of new, advanced nuclear energy technologies.

Building an advanced nuclear energy industry in the U.S. has long been an active and bipartisan Committee priority for years, and Members outlined significant investments in advanced nuclear technology made through three recent laws: the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, and the Energy Act of 2020.

We pointed out that these investments will be wasted if the licensing process is too uncertain or inflexible to accommodate emerging technologies and urged the NRC and DOE to consider ways to modernize the licensing process.

The billions of dollars spent on nuclear research and development at DOE over the last decade will not produce any benefits without a clear licensing process in place for the reactors developed through these efforts,” they wrote. “What would it mean for our national security and the American taxpayer if these reactors are built, tested, and deemed operational, but ultimately cannot be licensed in a replicable, timely manner? Failure to adequately bridge this gap would result in a massive blow to the United States energy leadership and represent one of the largest wastes of taxpayer dollars in modern history.”

The full letter is available here.

House Democrats are continuing to push their Far-Left, Green New Deal policy agenda, hurting Americans with skyrocketing costs at the grocery store.Biden’s economic crisis will only lead to higher prices. House Republicans are providing real solutions to drive down costs for producers and consumers.

BIDEN’S INFLATION CRISIS:

• As the price of inputs rise, so do the final products. As a result, Americans are paying more at the grocery store. 
  • In 2020, Americans spent 8.62% of their income on groceries; now in 2022, Americans are spending 12% of their income on groceries. 
• Four out of every ten large-scale farmers and ranchers reported trouble buying inputs, including fertilizer and farm equipment.
• Fifty-seven percent of the largest U.S. farmers said they expect input prices to climb by at least 20 percent in the next year. 
• Prices for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers – the three most commonly used commercial fertilizers – more than doubled between 2020 and 2021.
  • Nitrogen fertilizer, which accounts for more than 50% of the commercial fertilizer used by farmers, is expected to see price increases in 2022 of more than 80% from the previous year.
  • Natural gas, which rose steadily in price during 2021, is a key ingredient for the production of fertilizers.
• In some areas, the cost of fertilizer has increased by 500%.
• Rising gas prices affect everything from increasing planting costs to increasing transportation costs.
• In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted a 7.9% decline in farm income for 2022, mostly due to rising input costs.
• Farmers need a lot of energy to keep their farms running, including fuels such as diesel to run tractors - yet the average price increase of all types of gasoline is up 38% from February 2021. 

HOUSE DEMS FOCUS ON GREEN AGENDA WHILE REPUBLICANS FIGHT INFLATION:

• As we face these challenges, Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee are spending their time examining the role of USDA programs in addressing climate change.
  • Chair David Scott (D-Ga.) has called for U.S. agriculture to act as the “tip of the spear” to tackle climate change.
  • In February, the Agriculture Department announced $1 billion in funding for pilots aimed at combating climate change.
• Republicans are calling for policies to address global food security while Democrats are only worried about policies to address global warming. 
• House Agriculture Republicans are fighting Democrats in their efforts to make climate change the focus of every title in the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization.

One of the House Republicans’ non-negotiable items for the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills was to save the Hyde provision and other provisions that protect innocent human life. Republicans fought to ensure every single provision was preserved in the final agreement and accompanied by no increases in funding to support the on-demand abortion industry.

 
For more than four decades, across multiple administrations and Congresses led by both Democrats and Republicans, language has been included in appropriations bills that restrict federal taxpayer funding for abortion under most circumstances. These provisions reflect a time-tested balance of strongly held and differing perspectives on abortion in this country.

Since the Democrats first announced their radical plans to eliminate Hyde protections last year, Committee Republicans fought tirelessly for the Hyde Amendment – which has saved an estimated two and a half million lives since 1976 – to be continued in the FY22 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill.
 
Still, the radical House Majority moved forward with gutting this provision for the first time in the amendment’s history. All House Republicans joined together with the unwavering goal of saving Hyde and preventing taxpayer money from funding abortion on demand. With the Democrats in control of the House, Senate, and White House, this outcome was by no means assured.
 
But Republicans stood firm throughout final negotiations, and as a result, the Hyde provision and all existing pro-life protections in other subcommittee bills were maintained. With President Biden’s signature, Hyde remains the law of the land. While House Republicans are proud of this victory, the real winners are the unborn children whose lives will be saved as a result.
 
Republicans will never falter in their support for protecting the lives of the unborn and will continue to fight to preserve pro-life protections so that all may have the opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

• H.R. 621 - BOLIVAR Act
• H.R. 7075 - Ukrainian Independence Park Act of 2022
• H.R. 7115 - To amend the Natural Gas Act to expedite approval of exports of small volumes of natural gas, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 7127 - To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act to prohibit the Secretary from enforcing any drug or vaccine mandate, and for other purposes.
• H.J.Res. 72 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relating to "Requirement for Persons To Wear Masks While on Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs".
• H.Res. 990 - Opposing engaging Russia for reviving any form of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, opposing removing terrorism sanctions on Iran while Iran's support of terrorist activities remains unchanged, opposing restoring any form of the JCPOA while the issue of Iran's undeclared nuclear activities remains unresolved.
• H.Res. 991 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President of the United States should take immediate steps to support the transfer of requested fighter aircraft to the Government of Ukraine for self-defense against invasion of their sovereign state.
• H.R. 6886 - PADE Act
• H.R. 7100 - To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for certain minimal levels of educational assistance to the dependents of public safety officers, and for other purposes.
• H.J.Res. 76 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Ensuring Access to Equitable, Affordable, Client-Centered, Quality Family Planning Services".
• H.Res. 515 - Honoring NASA suppliers for the work they are doing on the Artemis missions.
• H.Res. 988 - Calling for justice and accountability for the perpetrators of the bombing of the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires on March 17, 1992.
• H.R. 1861 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2021
• H.R. 6015 - Benjamin Berell Ferencz Congressional Gold Medal Act
• H.Con.Res. 21 - Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should resume normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement with Taiwan, and support Taiwan's membership in international organizations.

Friends,

This week, I attended a rare Joint Session of Congress to hear a sobering address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  Congress is now contemplating the potential for, and possible level of, American involvement.

But I want to hear from you!