[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 102 (Monday, June 12, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
END RECKLESS ATTACKS ON ENERGY PRODUCERS
The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Joyce) for 5 minutes.
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, 20 days from now, the Homer
City Generating Station in Pennsylvania will power down its turbines
and close its doors. Since opening in 1969, the plant has reliably
utilized the coal that has been mined in Pennsylvania communities for
generations.
After years of continual operation, Homer City's closure will leave
just four operational coal plants functioning in the Keystone State.
The closing of this plant is not only a symbolic loss, but one that
will have real-world consequences for energy production.
What President Biden, liberals in Congress, and green energy
supporters across the United States fail to realize is that
technologies like wind turbines and solar panels lack the capacity to
keep the lights on.
These alternative methods of production simply cannot produce enough
power to meet the needs of our families and businesses. Without the
capacity to store enough energy to be used in peak hours, green
technologies are unable to support our electric grid.
Eliminating coal power will have disastrous consequences, including
rolling blackouts for families across America. We have seen the warning
signs. Look to Europe, as Austria, Germany, and Italy announce that
they are reopening coal plants and admit that the green technologies
have failed to produce the energy that those countries need.
Let's face it, Americans have always led on innovation, and now
countries around the world will rely on America to build the carbon
capture systems that will make coal plants safer and more reliable.
That will not be possible as long as the Biden administration continues
to force the shuttering of these facilities here at home.
We need to return to the energy resources that are underneath the
feet of my constituents in Pennsylvania. We need to return to American
energy dominance. It is time for the Biden administration to end its
reckless attacks on our energy producers.
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