[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 178 (Tuesday, December 3, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6768]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Trump Administration

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, last week, I spoke about a few of 
President Trump's excellent choices to lead his foreign policy agenda. 
Today, I would like to highlight a few of the impressive individuals he 
has tapped to lead his agenda for American energy abundance at the 
Energy Department, the EPA, and Interior.
  It is no secret that Texas is an energy-producing State. The 30 
million people I represent have been suffering from high gas prices, 
along with inflation and higher utility bills, under President Biden 
these last 4 years. From day one of his Presidency, President Biden 
made clear that he was taking his cues not from people like my 
constituents, who had to pay these higher prices, but from radical 
activists looking to further their leftwing climate agenda. He started 
by canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have created jobs 
and helped keep gas prices affordable.
  While Texans, along with other Americans, were suffering from 
historically high inflation, President Biden responded to their pleas 
by signing into law a so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which I like 
to point out did nothing to reduce inflation. Well, the Inflation 
Reduction Act, in fact, added more burdensome regulations and wasteful 
spending, while President Biden himself admitted that the law has 
``less to do with inflation.''
  Adding insult to injury, the EPA put into place a tailpipe rule that 
creates emissions standards so stringent they practically force 
consumers to choose an electric vehicle rather than a gas-powered car. 
Of course, that was part of the goal. No one I know of wants to be told 
by the government what kind of car they have to buy, but consider, as 
well, that Texans are already having trouble keeping up with their 
bills due to high inflation. Does President Biden really think forcing 
them to buy an expensive electric vehicle or forcing hard-working 
people who can't afford an electric vehicle, even with the subsidy, to 
subsidize wealthier Americans so that they could do so is helpful? It 
makes no sense whatsoever.
  Finally, by significantly limiting America's LNG exports, liquefied 
natural gas, many of which leave the country and travel to our allies 
by way of Texas ports, President Biden gave a gift to Vladimir Putin 
and forced our European allies to rely more heavily on Russia and Saudi 
Arabia for their energy needs.
  It should be no surprise to the Biden administration that Texans 
voted against a President who prioritized keeping radical climate 
activists happy at the expense of average Americans.
  But with President Trump at the helm, I have no doubt that Texans 
will be able to breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to their energy 
needs. Chris Wright, whom the President has tapped to lead his 
Department of Energy, will bring a wealth of experience in the oil and 
gas sector, and he has been an outspoken advocate for economic growth 
and American entrepreneurship.
  I also look forward to working with former Congressman Lee Zeldin, 
whom the President has chosen to be the administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency.
  And then there is the former Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, 
an outstanding choice to lead the Department of the Interior. He will 
bring a fresh perspective to Washington from his excellent track record 
as Governor.
  I look forward to working with each of these Cabinet nominees, and I 
hope they will embrace the all-of-the-above energy strategy that 
includes all forms of energy, something that Texas has always 
championed.
  Texas-based companies are making serious strides in energy 
innovation. Every day, they are finding new ways to make our most 
prevalent and affordable energy sources cleaner. But, to that end, 
there is a lot of work that needs to be done to reverse the damage 
caused by the current administration.
  First off, the President's pause on LNG exports must be lifted. As 
many Texans know, LNG is one of the cleanest sources of energy on the 
planet. If activists are serious about working in good faith to lower 
CO2 emissions, they should be pushing for more--not less--
LNG that, produced here in the United States, could be provided to our 
friends and allies around the world.
  When our European allies and others can't access American LNG, they 
have to turn elsewhere to ensure that they can keep the lights on. 
Alternative countries like Russia and Saudi Arabia don't have nearly 
the same environmental standards as we have here. The last thing the 
United States should do is to cause our allies to rely more on Vladimir 
Putin and Russia for their energy needs, but that is the consequence of 
President Biden's policies.
  I spoke yesterday on how China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea are 
working in concert to undermine American interests around the world in 
a very dangerous situation. It is not an overstatement to say that 
President Biden's ban on LNG exports directly advances the interests of 
this axis of authoritarians. That is dangerous.
  It is clear that we need to be producing more domestic energy of all 
kinds to support not only our domestic needs but our friends and allies 
around the world, and President Trump has made a great choice to help 
advance that effort.
  Over at the Department of the Interior, I hope that Governor Burgum 
will get to work quickly to reform and streamline the permitting 
process for energy activities on Federal lands. This is one of the most 
serious self-inflicted wounds that the U.S. Government has inflicted on 
itself by restricting access to streamlining permitting.
  Another pressing issue for the incoming administration is that NEPA 
is in desperate need of reform. These are the environmental review 
programs.
  Under the Biden administration's unwielding handling of this process, 
costs and timelines have been unpredictable, making it nearly 
impossible to tap the vast natural resources our Nation is so 
abundantly blessed with.
  My Republican colleagues and I stand ready to work all of these 
nominees to reverse the harmful policies of the current administration, 
like the tailpipe rule, turbocharge America's energy sector, and pass 
commonsense permitting reform.
  I look forward to working with President Trump's team, and I am 
confident that together we can put the full forces of the Texas energy 
sector back on display and once again unleash affordable, reliable, and 
secure energy right here in America.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.