[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 14, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3671-S3672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on FERC, the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission might not sound like the flashiest Agency in the 
world, but, yesterday, they had a lot of flash. They made a game-
changing announcement that can only be described as dramatic change and 
help for the American people and for a clean environment.
  Yesterday, after years of planning--and after I called FERC to take a 
strong action last summer and was pushing FERC repeatedly to do this--
the Commission announced a pair of rules that will revamp America's 
power grid. FERC's new rules will require both long-term transmission 
planning and establishing a way for States to split the bill for big 
transmission projects.
  These sound esoteric, but they are huge. The result, in the long run, 
will

[[Page S3672]]

help clean energy compete on equal footing with fossil fuels and result 
in lower energy costs and increased reliability.
  Nearly 2 years ago, Congressional Democrats, led by the Democrats in 
the Senate, made history by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the 
largest downpayment for clean energy production the United States has 
ever seen. Our bill, which I was proud to lead in the Senate, provided 
hundreds of billions to boost U.S. production in solar and wind and 
other forms of clean energy, and it is hugely successful. All the 
programs are being oversubscribed. Many more people are in line--
companies, et cetera--to build solar and wind production and other 
forms of clean energy.
  But it was only half the battle. It matters little if we build lots 
of solar panels and windmills if we don't have a way of transmitting 
all that clean energy to communities that need it most. And, frankly, 
transmission was tied in knots.
  What good is it having a lot of wind offshore or solar energy 
throughout our more sunny areas if you can't get that energy to the 
people who need it and want it, to the people whose costs it will 
lower?
  And so it was really important to me that we do something about 
transmission. Unfortunately, we were not able to get that done when we 
tried to do it here in the Senate. Our Republican colleagues were not 
amenable. So we had to find another way. According to one study, 
without more transmissions, the United States could squander up to half 
the climate benefits of the IRA--what a colossal tragedy.
  We all see what global warming is doing. You look at the weather 
reports every day. All of these tornadoes and everything else, where 
the heck are they coming from if the weather is not changing?
  So that is why Senate Democrats tried to include transmission reforms 
in the IRA. And after that, when that didn't work--the Parliamentarian 
knocked them out--we tried to work them with Republicans, but they 
blocked our efforts.
  So I had to find another way, and I was very eager and almost 
desperate to find another way because we so needed to bring this clean 
energy to people's homes and reduce their costs. So, last summer, I 
wrote a letter to FERC to help provide a remedy, because I knew that 
FERC could strengthen the rules--and they did. They could strengthen 
rules so we could more quickly build transmission lines and ensure 
clean energy could compete with fossil fuels on an even footing.
  I spent months working with my team and with one expert after another 
to quietly but forcefully fine-tune what FERC needed and change our 
letter on how the Agency could make the most of this opportunity.
  Well, hallelujah, this is a major change that people are not paying 
attention to, but it will have dramatic effect. FERC's rule contained 
almost all of my requests.
  The result of yesterday's announcement: more clean energy going to 
people who need it, lower costs, increased reliability. We are 
unlocking the clean energy revolution along the day.
  So let me say this--this was a major announcement--yesterday's 
announcement from FERC was a turning point in the effort to transition 
the United States to a clean energy economy. I am very pleased with 
FERC. I salute their leadership for doing what they did, and I thank my 
staff, who worked so long and hard to make this happen.
  It is great news for the environment, great news for the electricity 
consumer, great news for America and our globe.

                          ____________________