[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 176 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Energy Poverty

  Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I come to the floor today to discuss 
the global fight to end poverty and specifically the problem of energy 
poverty.
  The numbers paint a very grim picture. Worldwide, 840 million people 
are living without electricity. They can't cook or heat their homes 
safely or reliably. In fact, nearly 3 billion people--3 billion people 
worldwide--still rely on wood and waste for household energy.
  What should the United States do to help? First and foremost, I 
believe we should push multilateral development banks, like the World 
Bank, to invest in affordable energy projects, which will help these 
people. The World Bank's mission is to lift people out of poverty--to 
help lift people out of poverty. That is their mission. Specifically, 
it seeks to end extreme poverty while promoting shared prosperity.
  For 75 years, the United States has been working with the World Bank 
to help developing countries grow. The United States remains the World 
Bank's largest contributor. Every U.S. dollar at the World Bank should 
make a difference for people in the developing world.
  The World Bank's new policies, however, lead me to call for a review 
by the United States of how U.S. dollars are being used. Several years 
ago, the World Bank decided to stop financing certain projects--
specifically, oil, gas, and coal projects. I am concerned the World 
Bank is now blocking affordable energy development--energy that is 
needed to make a positive difference for so many people in the 
developing world. Traditional fuels are a vital tool for escaping 
energy poverty. Yet, with the policy change in the World Bank, only 
renewable energy projects qualify for funding. It seems that the World 
Bank is putting its liberal political agenda ahead of our anti-poverty 
mission.
  The question is, Does the World Bank still want to help the people 
living in poor nations today? That is the question. If so, they should 
be helping with the use of abundant and affordable energy resources. If 
not, then I think the United States must reevaluate our support for the 
World Bank.
  Here is a case in point: The Bank restricts the financing of high-
efficiency power stations fueled by coal. Last fall, for example, the 
World Bank failed to honor its commitment to the country of Kosovo. The 
Bank pulled its funding from Kosovo's state-of-the-art, coal-fired 
powerplant--state of the art--needed in Kosovo. Kosovo faces an energy 
security barrier to grow. They don't have enough energy to grow the way 
they are prepared to. Kosovo has the fifth largest coal reserves in the 
world. Kosovo desperately needs to retire its older facility.
  I saw this firsthand last month when I was visiting members of the 
Wyoming National Guard stationed in northern Kosovo. This decision by 
the World Bank is simply unacceptable.
  What are other countries doing? China and Russia, meanwhile, are 
dramatically increasing their global investment in identical carbon-
based energy projects. The World Bank is saying: Go ask China. Go ask 
Russia. South Africa, for example, is now working with China's 
development bank on its coal-fired powerplant. There are serious 
concerns when our allies work with China and Russia. These include 
lower standards, dependence on these countries, and undue political 
influence.
  A number of Members in the Senate share my concern. On Thursday, I 
led a group of a dozen Senators in urging the World Bank to immediately 
lift these harmful restrictions. My letter to the President of the 
World Bank, President David Malpass, was cosigned by Senators Boozman, 
Capito, Cotton, Cramer, Cruz, Enzi, Hoeven, Johnson, Kennedy, 
Murkowski, and Thune. Together, we are pressing the World Bank to 
recommit to an ``all of the above'' energy strategy. Developing 
countries desperately need affordable, reliable energy.
  We say in our letter:

       People living in poor and developing nations want and need 
     a stable energy supply. They are looking for power generation 
     that provides energy security, helps create jobs, and 
     improves their lives.

  People back home in Wyoming know firsthand the benefits of developing 
abundant energy resources. The United States is a top global energy 
producer. Wyoming has played a key role in this success. We have 
produced our way to a booming U.S. economy, and we have created 
millions of new jobs along the way. People who are struggling worldwide 
to survive and thrive in developing countries deserve that same 
opportunity. As an energy powerhouse, America can help empower our 
allies and our energy exports.
  Global philanthropist Bill Gates said: ``Increasing access to 
electricity is critical to lifting the world's poor out of poverty. Let 
me repeat. ``Increasing access to electricity is critical to lifting 
the world's poor out of poverty.''
  Ultimately, the solution to energy poverty doesn't lie in limiting 
options but in using all available options. In pursuit of its mission, 
the World Bank must embrace, not exclude, abundant, affordable energy 
resources.
  Let's work together to end energy poverty now for the 840 million 
people on the planet living without electricity.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.