    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2025)]
    [Senate]
    [Pages S1362-S1363]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                    METHANE

      Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the methane CRA, today, Senate
    Republicans will advance a measure undoing one of the most important
    tools we have to lower energy prices and hold Big Oil and Gas
    accountable.
      The Republicans, once again, in obeisance to the oil and gas
    industry, are pushing a resolution to reverse the methane emissions
    charge, which Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act.
      It makes big oil companies pay when they leak excessive and harmful
    levels of methane. Typically, the more methane a company leaks during
    drilling, the more these companies will have to charge for the methane
    they do deliver and the more gas prices will go up for families and
    businesses.
      The oil companies, they don't believe in what our economists call
    externalities. They think they can just throw methane into the air and
    let everyone else pay the price in terms of climate change, in terms of
    bad health for people, et cetera.
      What they want to do, our Republicans colleagues, will make gas
    prices go up for families and businesses.
      Our law was a reasonable, commonsense, and a carefully tailored
    safeguard to prevent consumers from footing the bill of Big Oil's
    methane waste, paired with Federal funding to help big oil companies
    reduce their waste.
      Reducing methane waste in the atmosphere saves consumers money. It
    protects local communities from pollution; and methane, as you know, is
    a superpotent greenhouse gas.
      Scientists agree that reducing methane is one of the best things we
    can do

    [[Page S1363]]

    to combat climate change. Its deleterious effects on the atmosphere are
    many, many times greater even than CO2 is.
      So why do Republicans want to overturn it so badly? Because, as
    typical, Republicans are putting the needs of big oil and gas companies
    over the needs of the American people, over the health of the American
    people, and over the health of our globe.
      Americans don't want Big Oil and Big Gas running the show. Americans
    don't want more pollution in their communities. Americans don't want
    higher gas prices. But that is what the Republicans are doing with
    today's CRA vote. Today's vote will show the American people, once
    again, who is on your side and who is on the side of Big Oil and Gas. I
    hope everyone watches closely.
      I yield the floor.
      I suggest the absence of a quorum.
      The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
      The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
      Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
    for the quorum call be rescinded.
      The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                              ____________________