The United States produces the cleanest energy in the world. On Earth Day, and every day, we lead in reducing global emissions because of American ingenuity and innovation, particularly in cleaner energy sources like natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear power.



For example, the development and revolution of American natural gas has helped reduce U.S. emissions in the energy sector by 25% from 2008 to 2018. Today, America’s CO2 emissions are at the lowest levels since the 1990s.

Unleashing energy production and exporting U.S. LNG to our allies is KEY to lowering costs, strengthening democracy and our geopolitical power, AND lowering emissions worldwide.

Lifecycle analysis of U.S. LNG exports shows that American LNG is 42% cleaner than Russian natural gas. Indeed, U.S. LNG produces on average 50.5% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than coal-fired electricity generation in China, Germany, and India.

Not only does the Left's rush-to-green energy agenda hurt domestic production and raises costs, it also undermines our progress to reduce global emissions with reliable and affordable American energy.

From day one, this Administration has sought to shut down American oil and gas production. Consequently, President Biden has had to turn to countries with poorer environmental and human rights records for importing oil and gas, like Russia and Venezuela.

A rush-to-green energy agenda compromises innovation and a reliable and affordable American energy future. Today, Americans are paying an average of $4.11 per gallon to fill up their tanks. Natural gas prices are also surging, up to the highest prices in more than 13 years. We need to flip the switch on American energy and lead on an all-of-the-above approach for energy the American people can afford.

That’s why Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading on the Securing Cleaner American Energy agenda to ensure America leads on affordable, reliable, and clean energy – while protecting jobs, our global competitive edge, and national security.

The solutions include:

• H.R. 1588, the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act, updates and strengthens the licensing process for renewable hydropower projects; and promotes innovation and next generation hydropower technologies that protect the environment and natural resources.
• H.R. 245, the New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act, provides regulatory certainty and encourages investment, particularly in emissions-reducing upgrades, by reforming the New Source Review (NSR) program for industrial facilities and power plants to clarify when facility upgrades require permits.
• H.R. 1788, the Clean Energy Hydrogen Innovation Act, promotes the development of innovative hydrogen energy projects through the DOE loan guarantee program.
• H.R. 1616, the Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act, streamlines the natural gas pipeline permitting process at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
• H.R. 1575, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, removes regulatory barriers to exporting and importing natural gas, while maintaining Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regulation of LNG facilities.
• H.R. 1748, the Strengthening American Nuclear Competitiveness Act, expedites DOE review of certain nuclear technology exports; enables increased investment in U.S. nuclear technology by American allies; promotes efficient licensing for new nonelectric uses of nuclear energy and for new manufacturing techniques to build American nuclear reactors faster and at lower cost. 
• H.R. 6618, the Advanced Nuclear Reactor Prize Act, authorizes the Secretary of Energy to make targeted awards to cover regulatory costs of the first technologies that are licensed and made operational in three categories of advanced reactors, which will incentivize first-movers to submit quality applications that allow the public to benefit from safe, reliable advanced reactors.

Our solutions will address climate change risks and spur the development and deployment of clean energy infrastructure without the ‘pie-in-the-sky’ mandates, regulations, out-of-control federal government spending, threats to national security, and crushing economic burdens on consumers.

Click here for the full list of Republican solutions.

Since Joe Biden took office and started implementing his radical open border policies, 42 people on the terrorist watchlist have been apprehended attempting to enter the United States through our southern border illegally.

Even more disturbing is that earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki could not guarantee that none of the OVER 2,000 illegal immigrants a day who avoid U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) capture entering our southern border were on the terror watch list.

BIDEN’S BORDER CRISIS BY THE NUMBERS:

• According to new CBP data, there were 221,303 migrant encounters at our southern border in March. 
  • That’s a new Biden-era high. 
  • That is up 33% from February.
  • That is a 542% increase from 2020. 
  • More than 7,000 migrants crossed the border per day, on average, in March. 
  • March was the 13th straight month of encounters OVER 150,000.
  • Since Biden took office, OVER 2.2 MILLION illegal immigrants have been apprehended at our southern border.
• These staggering numbers come as we learn that 42 people on the Terrorist Screening Database have been apprehended attempting to illegally cross our southern border since Joe Biden was sworn in.
  • According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data nearly half of these apprehensions have taken place in just the first months of 2022. 
• White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki could not guarantee that none of the OVER 2,000 illegal immigrants a day who avoid CBP capture entering our southern border were on the terror watch list during a recent press briefing. 
• CBP’s March report came while Title 42 was still in effect. 
• The Biden administration plans to lift Title 42 on May 23, a decision that will only worsen Biden’s Border Crisis. 
  • In March, more than 7,000 migrants crossed the border per day on average, sending overall border crossings past 220,000, the most in more than two decades. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that when Title 42 lifts, those numbers could climb to 12,000 to 18,000 crossers per day. 
• In 2021, the Biden administration dropped deportations by roughly 68%. 
  • This is the lowest level in 26 years, which dates back to before the agency ICE was created.
• In FY21, 11,201 pounds of illicit fentanyl were seized by Customs and Border Protection, which is enough to kill every American nearly seven times over.
  • Fentanyl border seizures increased by 134% in FY2021.
  • Now, the majority of America’s fentanyl that is flowing into our communities is being smuggled across the southern border from Mexico.
• Border officials have estimated that nearly 400,000 illegal immigrants have escaped into the U.S. without being caught under Biden.

Legislation sponsored:

• H.R. 7528 - To prohibit United States assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

Legislation cosponsored:

• H.R. 7260 - Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act
• H.R. 7507 - To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide increased penalties for a country that denies or delays accepting 2,000 aliens who are nationals of that country, and for other purposes.

Yesterday in Groves I presented a flag flown over the United States Capitol to Vietnam War veteran Bill Ramsey, who heroically served in the United States Navy. Our country is truly the home of the free because of the brave, and we can never fully express how grateful we are for all of our veterans who put their lives on the line to defend our liberty.

Friends,

As crime continues to skyrocket in cities across the country due to the Defund the Police movement and Far-Left policies, President Biden has chosen to attack law-abiding Americans exercising their Second Amendment right.

The targeting of so-called “ghost guns” will only make our communities worse off. A ban on privately made firearms will allow the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to expand their definition of a firearm and subject many law-abiding firearm owners to more burdensome regulations and duplicative background checks. These efforts will not prevent criminals from breaking the law.
 
“GHOST GUNS” AND THE NEW DOJ RULE:

• “Ghost guns” is a term intended to conjure up images of an uncontrollable firearms but in reality, it is nothing more than a firearm a private citizen legally assembled with individual parts or kits for his or her own use.
• Despite President Biden’s claims that they are a weapon of choice for violent criminals, these firearms were used in less than 0.36% of homicides between 2016 and 2020.
• These firearms are predominantly a hobbyist option and require more time, tooling, and dedication to craftsmanship than most criminals are willing to invest. Criminals scratch out the serial numbers, they don’t take the time to build a gun and take it to a gun store to have a serial number engraved on it.
• According to the White House, the Department of Justice rule will:
  • Ban the business of manufacturing most privately made firearms without serial numbers or background checks,
  • Redefine ‘buy build shoot’ kits, and various parts, as firearms to expand ATF regulations, and
  • Add additional barriers for Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs), or gun stores, to resell privately made firearms.
• Additionally, Biden announced new requirements for FFLs to expand their record-keeping and retain records beyond the current 20-year standard. This new rule establishes a federal firearm registry by forcing FFLs to keep all firearm records until the end of licensed activity.

Rather than weaponizing the ATF to violate the Second Amendment right of law-abiding Americans, President Biden and House Democrats should start enforcing the laws we already have and turn their attention to the real threat facing our communities: the explosion of violent crime and increasingly emboldened criminals. 

But I want to hear from you!

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC.

The over-all winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.

• Artwork can be no larger than 26”x26” X 4” and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds including the frame (only winning artwork requires a frame)
• Artwork must meet  suitability and originality guidelines
• Artwork must have the “Student Information and Release Form” with the submission along with proper signatures
• Winning artwork is displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the United States Capitol building in Washington D.C. for 11 months
• Artwork winning 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th will be displayed in the district offices of Congressman Randy Weber for 11 months 

What prizes will my winner get?

The artwork for the winning student from each District will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel for 11 months.

As a Congressional Art District First Place winner, one may be eligible to receive a $3,000 per year scholarship to SCAD, (Savannah College of Art and Design) should one apply and be accepted for enrollment. Accepted students may be eligible for additional scholarships based on their academic credentials, documented awards and recognition, extracurricular activities, volunteer or professional experience, and talents.

Submissions are due April 22^nd with judging the following week and reception TBD.

For more information visit: https://weber.house.gov/constituent-services/arts-competition.htm