GENERAL LEAVE Publication: Congressional Record Date: 14 June 2022 Topic: |
Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California? There was no objection. {time} 1300 Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, yesterday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1170, for three measures. First, it provides for consideration of H.R. 2543 under a structured rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment, provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services, makes in order 27 amendments, and provides one motion to recommit. Second, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2773 under a structured rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment, provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking member of the Committee on Natural Resources, makes in order eight amendments, and provides one motion to recommit. Third, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7606 under a structured rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment, provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture, makes in order two amendments, and provides one motion to recommit. Finally, the rule extends recess instructions, suspension authority, and same day authority through June 22, 2022. First, I will say a few words about the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act. Times are tough for working families across our country. Food prices are rising and gas prices are at an all-time high. At the same time, food companies and Big Oil are making record profits at the expense of these same hardworking Americans. Costs are rising up and down the supply chain. The cost of fertilizer and pesticides has risen 50 percent over the past year, in part due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Rising energy prices, increasing trucking costs, and the worst outbreak of avian flu in 7 years are all contributing to the higher prices consumers are paying at the grocery store. Plus, combine oil companies' irresponsibility with Putin's war in Ukraine, and you have an unbearable situation for American consumers. The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act will help us look out for working families, not just big corporations and their billionaire CEOs. This package of bipartisan legislation supports farmers and lowers prices for America's families at the grocery store and at the gas pump. This rule also allows us to consider a package of legislation aimed at addressing racial and economic inequities that limit opportunities for Americans to buy homes, access loans, and earn fair wages. Income and wealth inequality is higher in the United States than in any other developed country, and there are examples of it in almost all parts of our lives. The reforms in this package will help us better target and measure outcomes for underserved populations. Finally, the Recovering America's Wildlife Act helps protect the more than one-third of all fish and wildlife species in the United States that are at risk of extinction. This legislation funds conservation efforts for more than 12,000 species of wildlife and plants, and the recovery of 1,600 species already listed as threatened or endangered. Taken together and taken separately, these bills will all lead to real important change for Americans. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from California for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the rule before us provides for consideration of three pieces of legislation that are, once again, missed opportunities to provide real relief to the American people. Rather than working with Republicans to address the serious issues facing our Nation, Democrats again prioritize the interests of far-left special interest groups and their radical progressive base over the needs of American workers and American families. Look no further than H.R. 2543, a compilation of 13 Committee on Financial Services' bills that prioritize woke policies and unnecessary reporting over actually fixing Biden's economic crisis. As my friends across the aisle will remember, under President Trump, U.S. employment reached a 50-year low of 3.5 percent. Additionally, under President Trump, minority unemployment dropped to the lowest levels on record. Compare that with the economy under the Democrats' one-party rule. Inflation is now at a 40-year high. Gas prices are now over $5 a gallon. Americans can expect to pay an extra $5,200 this year compared to last year for the same goods and services. Once again, rather than just working with Republicans to provide real economic relief, the Democrats continue to double down on reckless spending, far-left policies, and have prioritized their Big Government socialism over free market principles. What has this led to? It has led to economic instability. It threatens the stability of our Federal Reserve. It piles regulatory costs on small businesses. It emboldens unelected and unaccountable career bureaucrats. Ultimately, H.R. 2543 will make it more difficult for low-income and minority borrowers to start a business, to buy a home, and to build credit. It actually does the opposite of the intended effect. This will also provide for consideration of H.R. 7606, a bill that claims to lower food costs by appointing a ``special investigator,'' and this special investigator will investigate American meat packers and live poultry dealers. Let's be clear, this legislation is a weak attempt to lay the blame for President Biden's economic crisis on American job creators. In reality, this is just another unfunded mandate that empowers Washington bureaucrats and places new burdens on American food producers. Alarmingly, these compliance costs may actually raise the price of food even higher, making life in Joe Biden's America even harder on average American families. Finally, this bill provides for consideration of H.R. 2773, the Recovering America's Wildlife Act of 2022. While I support conservation efforts, I am incredibly disappointed once again by the majority walking away from talks with Republicans to find offsets and to try to resolve spending concerns for the $1.34 billion in new annual mandatory spending authorized by this bill. In fact, according to the CBO, this legislation spends $12.7 billion just in the first 10 years alone. Madam Speaker, 80 percent of Americans say inflation is the most important issue facing this country. You wouldn't know it by looking at the bills Democrats are prioritizing for floor action this week. {time} 1315 Perhaps it is time that my Big Government, Democratic colleagues actually listen to the American people and work with Republicans on real economic solutions rather than doubling down on the out-of-control spending and reckless far-left policies that created Biden's economic crisis in the first place. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' to oppose this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I always, as we have these debates with my good friend from Pennsylvania, encourage that we do work together acknowledging that we have differences of opinion and reminding people who are maybe watching that we are in a global economy that has inflation globally and that what we are doing in this package is to try to provide some small instruments for oversight accountability so that we can have as much control as we can in a global economy that is impacting this inflation that is so hard for working Americans. [[Page H5501]] So with all due respect to my friend from Pennsylvania, I am always willing to work with him. But this package is intended to provide more accountability, not more bureaucracy. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I hear about this being a global issue. It is a global issue, but the reason it is a global issue--quick economics lesson--we are still the reserve currency. We also are the largest GDP. We are exporting the inflation to other countries. Let's be clear. The inflation is caused by Joe Biden's reckless, Big Government, socialist agenda and, unfortunately, the American people as well as the world have to deal with this recklessness. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), who is my good friend on the Rules Committee. Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, I would like to start off by saying that I am going to specifically talk about H.R. 7606. Many of the bills included in that bill, in H.R. 7606, I supported and helped introduce. The Butcher Block Act, year-round E-15, and the PRECISE Act are all pieces of legislation I have long supported and are included in this package. I find it stunning that my colleagues in the majority after many months of sitting on these thoughtful, bipartisan bills are finally bringing them forward attached to a poison pill that is duplicative and unnecessary. Perhaps most disappointing is that this bill is being advertised as an immediate solution to skyrocketing food and fuel prices. But many of these bills are simply codifications of existing programs or duplicative of other efforts all packaged with a feel-good title. Let me be clear. These will not address the underlying drivers of inflation or increasing input costs. If the majority were serious about bringing down the cost of our food and fuel, they would check their incessant spending habits far beyond the Federal Government's means. They would roll back the Biden administration's regulatory war on agriculture. But that is not what this bill does. Madam Speaker, the Packers and Stockyards Division already has enforcement tools at their disposal to address uncompetitive behavior in the meatpacking sector. However, by the Packers and Stockyards Division's own estimates, the agency is chronically understaffed and underfunded. If my colleagues were serious about combating uncompetitive behavior in the meatpacking industry, they would have included robust resources to enhance enforcement under the Packers and Stockyard Act. This legislation is unfunded and creates an unnecessary and duplicative special investigator appointed by an administration that blames rising costs of goods and services on everyone but themselves and is empowered with nearly unlimited authority to harass market participants when convenient for the politics of this administration. Further, the Department of Justice has already been in the process of investigating meatpackers with respect to this exact issue. I would ask my colleague if they have yet to receive any update regarding this effort? And if so, what can we expect from it? I know many of my Republican colleagues and I have been seeking an update for months to no avail. Absent such investigation, it is inappropriate for this bill to move forward. Much of this package does have bipartisan support, but when I asked why the majority didn't focus on the bills with strong bipartisan consensus, I was essentially told that this is the package, this is what the majority wants. The message to me was, Take it or leave it. This shows, once again, the majority's unwillingness to work in a bipartisan manner and really, really address the issues facing Americans. That is unfortunate, and I urge my colleagues in the majority to work with Republicans in addressing these issues in a thoughtful and bipartisan manner and to stop playing politics while our country suffers. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule and the underlying bill. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Americans are now paying an average of over $5 for a gallon of gas. This is the first time in history this has happened. Let me repeat that: over $5 for a gallon of gas. The pain at the pump is a direct result of President Biden's and congressional Democrats' radical Green New Deal agenda and a war on American energy producers. Let's just be blunt about something: the base of the Democratic Party--the bunch of woke yuppies sitting at home on Zooms all day-- don't care about gas prices. But if you are someone who has to swing a hammer for a living and drive to a jobsite, if you are a waitress at a diner and you have to drive to your shift, that affects you. Republicans care about working families and working men and women. That is why we believe Americans deserve affordable, American-made energy. That is why if we defeat the previous question, I will personally offer an amendment to the rule to immediately consider H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania? There was no objection. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, here to explain this amendment is my good friend and a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Jeff Duncan from South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan). Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question so that we can amend the rule to immediately consider H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. As a direct result of President Biden's war on American energy, average national gas prices have hit $5 per gallon. I don't know what they are in Michigan. I know I pay more than $5 a gallon for diesel fuel in South Carolina. This is the worst energy crisis we have seen since 1973. Why we had an energy crisis in the seventies was supply and demand. We had lessening global supply and increased demand as the economy was growing. When will we learn? The American people are feeling the pain directly due to the policies of the Biden administration. This shouldn't come as any surprise to the American people. It really doesn't because the President said during a Presidential debate that he would phase out oil and gas production in the United States, and that is exactly what they are doing. It is costing moms and dads around the country, and Democrats are wondering why gas prices are so high. It is unbelievable. What is even more unbelievable is that President Biden killed American energy at the same time green-lighting Vladimir Putin's Nord Stream 2 project to allow Vladimir Putin to produce energy and sell it to Europe. We can't do that here at home. The logic of Joe Biden and the Democrats: kill American energy while promoting energy development of tyrants in Russia, Iran, and Venezuela is unbelievable. It is simple. You are playing politics with this country's energy crisis. Democrats want high gas prices so they can push their fallacy of a utopian world of wind, solar, and EVs for all. Meanwhile, American families are choosing between filling up their tank, feeding their families, and not doing other things they are used to doing because they are having to pay more at the pump. Energy prices hurt low-income Americans the hardest. They are seeing their savings erode in a volatile stock market. More of their paychecks are going for basic commodities due to rampant high inflation, and they are paying record-high prices nationwide to fuel their vehicles. Energy Secretary Granholm's solution for high gas prices? Buy a $55,000 [[Page H5502]] electric vehicle. They can range up to $90,000. How many American families can afford that? Even the Biden administration knows that is a failed approach. I saw a Democrat plan recently that we are going to use more of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to increase supply. Okay. You acknowledge there is a supply-and-demand issue. They are currently tapping the SPR at record levels to meet rising demand. The SPR fell to 538 billion barrels just last month, and that is the lowest level since 1987. Madam Speaker, that is a finite commodity that once we drain the SPR, unless you produce more energy or buy oil from Iran, Venezuela, or Russia to replenish it--it is not an infinite supply--what are you going to do then? What are we going to do then when that runs out? If Americans want to blame someone for record-high gas prices, then look no further than House Democrats who have already blocked Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers' bill, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, six times. If Democrats block it today, then it will be the seventh time they have blocked a commonsense piece of legislation that is a Republican solution. Now, this bill will approve the Keystone XL pipeline, remove all restrictions on LNG exports, and restart oil and gas leasing on Federal lands and waters. It is well past time for the Democrats to wake up and follow the science, as they like to say. Stop putting special interest groups before the American people. Let's flip the switch. Let's support American energy and America first policies. Let's support the American Energy Independence from Russia Act to unleash American energy production and security. Let's take the first step toward lowering gas prices for Americans and quit playing games. We are going to release the SPR oil to increase supply to lower the price at the pump because that is temporary, because once that supply is used up, we are not going to have that to put back into the market. Quit doing that. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from South Carolina an additional 30 seconds. Mr. DUNCAN. Flip the switch, folks. Let's support American energy independence. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question so the House can immediately consider this commonsense legislation by Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I just want to remind folks that 50 percent of inflation is caused by the war in Ukraine and actions by Vladimir Putin. In terms of energy, we believe in supporting American energy, but we also accept the reality that we are transitioning to more choices in energy like we do in California. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a June 10, 2021, USA Today article titled: ``Fact check: Rising gas prices due to high demand and low supply, not Biden's policies.'' [From USA Today, June 10, 2021] Fact Check: Rising Gas Prices Due to High Demand and Low Supply, Not Biden's Policies (By Miriam Fauzia) The claim: Joe Biden is to blame for higher gas prices The rising cost of gasoline is being felt across the U.S., as the national average price has gone up from $2 per gallon last year to $3 per gallon as of June 9, according to data from the American Automobile Association. Many on social media claim President Joe Biden is to blame for this change. A June 1 Instagram post put the title ``Joe Biden's America'' atop a graphic showing the price jump from January to May 2021. ``Man I haven't seen gas prices this high since the last time (a) Democrat was in office!'' claims one meme shared to Facebook on May 22. ``It's called the Biden effect,'' commented one Facebook user under a similar May 18 Facebook post. Blaming Biden for this uptick isn't a new phenomenon. These claims have been in circulation since January and particularly allege Biden's cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline significantly impacted gasoline, ``ensur(ing) a huge increase in gas prices for millions of us.'' USA TODAY has reached out to the posters for comment. While it's true gasoline prices have risen significantly since Biden took office on Jan. 20 the upward trend predates Biden's time in office and is related to COVID-19 and market factors, not who occupies the White House. Pandemic's effect on supply and demand As with any commodity, the price of gasoline is determined by the simple balance of supply and demand: a high supply and low demand means low prices, while a low supply and high demand mean prices rise. The most important driver of this fluctuation is crude oil, from which gasoline is derived. This fossil fuel typically accounts for between 50 percent and 60 percent of the price at the pump, said Jeanette McGee, a spokesperson for AAA. In 2020, crude oil prices became extremely cheap, so much so it was being traded at negative prices, McGee told USA TODAY. Brent crude oil, for example, a blend supplying most of Europe, was being sold at $9 a barrel, its lowest price in decades, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported. The primary reason for this drop in crude oil prices was the pandemic, said McGee and Mark Finley, a fellow at Rice University's Center for Energy Studies. ``The pandemic drove the world's oil market to become massively oversupplied, inventory dramatically increased and prices collapsed,'' Finley told USA TODAY. In response to the low demand due to reduced travel and lockdown restrictions, Finley said major oil-producing countries like Russia, Saudi Arabia and member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, decided to cut down on their own oil production. But the cut meant oil producers weren't ready to meet the demand for crude oil once it renewed this year thanks to easing of COVID-19-related restrictions. ``This year, demand has so far increased more quickly than production rates, which means the United States had to draw more on its gasoline storage inventories, which has contributed to prices going up,'' EIA spokesperson Chris Higginbotham said in an email to USA TODAY. ``We expect oil producers in the United States and globally to increase their production levels through 2022, which we expect to contribute to lower crude oil prices, and lower gasoline prices.'' Gas price uptrend predates Biden While presidential actions and policies can have some impact on the crude oil market, they don't have as much influence over gasoline prices as one might think. ``Some of (a president's) decisions can impact or contribute to market changes, which can then impact (future) crude oil, but they don't dictate gas prices,'' said McGee. ``If you go back and look at historical data, whether it was Bush, Obama, Trump or Biden, (gas prices) go up and down no matter who's in office.'' During former President Donald Trump's term, the national average for gasoline had gone up to nearly $3 a gallon in May 2018 and hovered close to that price until fall 2018, according to data maintained by AAA. The cost rose yet again to nearly $3 a gallon in May 2019 before dropping slightly below $2 per gallon when state and local governments mandated lockdowns in March 2020. Gas prices slowly crept from $2.20 per gallon in September 2020 to $2.40 by the time Biden took office in January 2021. McGee said elections typically drive gasoline prices up. This upward trend was expected to continue due to pandemic recovery, reduced crude oil supply and the approach of summer--historically considered a peak travel season--but arrived sooner due to the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline, the East Coast's major fuel supplier. ``We have expected gas prices to hit $3 a gallon around Memorial Day, but with the (Colonial) pipeline offline, it actually jumped the national average to $3 and more prior to Memorial Day,'' said McGee. Keystone XL, other Biden policies don't affect today's gasoline costs Many critics point to Biden's decision on the Keystone XL pipeline as fueling the gas price spike, but experts say there's no such connection. The extension of the Keystone pipeline, first proposed in 2008 by TC Energy based in Calgary, Canada, was rejected by former President Barack Obama in November 2015 but later approved by Trump in March 2017. Biden then suspended the project in January. And on June 9, TC Energy announced it was terminating the project. Even if construction wasn't halted, the Keystone XL pipeline wasn't in operation and therefore wouldn't have an impact on current gas prices, said Finley of Rice University. ``That was something that would impact down the road,'' he said. David Dismukes, economist and executive director of Lousiana State University's Center for Energy Studies, agreed, telling USA TODAY the pipeline would have had a ``longer-run impact in providing a diversity of supply for refineries in the Gulf Coast.'' Similarly, other energy policies rolled out by President Biden, such as postponing oil lease sales, have a long-term, but not short-term, effect. ``If you look at some of the actions taken by the administration with regard to offshore drilling, drilling on federal lands, the outlook for fossil fuel energies in general, those are impacting the price of crude and expectations about crude oil,'' said [[Page H5503]] Diskmukes. ``(Biden's policies do) have an impact, but that's not what you're seeing at the pump right now.'' Our rating: False Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim President Joe Biden is to blame for the current higher gas prices. The upward trend in gas costs we see now began months before Biden took office. Because of reduced demand amid the COVID- 19 pandemic, oil companies had to cut back on the amount of crude oil produced. Now with restrictions being lifted and more travel happening, the demand has increased, which, coupled with lagging supply, has led to increased gasoline prices. Canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and other energy policies enacted by Biden have a long-term effect on crude oil supply but no present impact on gasoline prices. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, President Biden nor his administration have direct control of setting gas prices. The real issue is Big Oil's desire to pad their profits. The CEO of Occidental Petroleum said it herself, ``I feel now that we do need to return cash to the shareholders in the form of dividends or buybacks, especially during the better cycles.'' They are thinking in their shareholders' best interest, not the interest of the American people. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Democrats and their allies on the left can blame Putin all they want, and it is partially true that Putin's war in Ukraine is partially to blame. But gas prices have risen every month of this administration. Every month they were up a dollar a gallon before Putin even invaded Ukraine. The real issue here is supply. Why do we have the supply issue? It is because Joe Biden on day number one canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. That dried up all capital investment into hydrocarbon infrastructure. Maybe it is a problem because we cannot get the oil and gas to refineries to make sure that we have a supply. So what does Joe Biden do instead? He blames everybody else. He goes to Venezuela and elsewhere, and begs them to produce more oil when just one administration before under President Trump, we were actually a net exporter of energy. Biden and House Democrats have created this mess, and the American people know that. Are you ready for this fact, Madam Speaker? The American people will also spend $5,000 this year on gas--$5,000 for the average American. That is a 78 percent increase from a year ago. In other words, Americans are spending over $2,000 extra a year on gas under Joe Biden. Blame who you want, Madam Speaker, but every time an American looks up and sees $100-plus on that gas tank that he or she just filled up, they know who to blame--Joe Biden and Democrats. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the great State of Texas (Ms. Van Duyne). Ms. VAN DUYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, to address U.S. energy security, the production of oil and gas, and the importation and exportation of oil and gas. Gas prices have already topped $5 per gallon, and economists are predicting they will be $6 per gallon by August. Every American driver is paying nearly double since Biden took office, and the crisis is only getting worse. {time} 1330 This administration should have seen this coming. You can say what you want. You can blame whoever you want. This administration is failing to recognize that its policies have had a direct result on gas prices. You don't block crucial pipelines. You don't block domestic infrastructure. You don't shut down drilling on Federal lands, declare war on the oil and gas industry, and become reliant on Russian oil and not expect prices to skyrocket and our global standing to weaken. This administration is obviously not going to do anything but make this crisis worse, so this body must act. The American Energy Independence from Russia Act will strengthen U.S. energy security, counter Russia, create American jobs, and protect domestic oil and gas dependency and production. Republicans have proposed countless pragmatic bills, including the Strategy to Secure Offshore Energy Act, which I recently introduced. This directs the Department of the Interior to publish the next 5-year plan for offshore oil and gas lease sales. We must hold this administration accountable as they continue to throw their hands up and blame everyone else for the energy crisis that they created. This bill will help provide the certainty necessary for continued investment in offshore production and support our domestic energy security. In my colleague's home State of California, gas has reached $9.60 a gallon. Surely, we can all agree that that is unconscionable and must be addressed. Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to the previous question so that we can pass needed legislation to put us back on course to unlocking American energy independence. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, just some quick facts. As Mr. Duncan stated, House Democrats have blocked consideration of legislation to unleash America's energy independence six times. Six times we have been down this road, and House Democrats have blocked it. Gas prices have gone up 49 cents since the last time Republicans asked Democrats to bring this bill to the floor. Here we are again. To talk more about this issue, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko). Mrs. LESKO. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6858 to unleash American domestic energy production. Americans across the country are paying sky-high prices at the gas pump. Almost every single day for the past month, gas prices have hit a new record high. The national average for a gallon of gas is now over $5 per gallon. In Phoenix, my home State, Arizonans are paying over $5.60 per gallon. I think yesterday it was $5.63 per gallon. Filling up at the pump is becoming increasingly unaffordable for many Americans. As Members of Congress, many of us can afford to spend $5 for a single gallon of gas. But many Americans, like my own kids, who are working hard, and my senior citizens in my district who live on fixed incomes, simply can't afford to pay this high price. Republicans have a solution. We have a plan to increase American energy production today and lower prices tomorrow, if only my colleagues across the aisle would agree to take up this legislation. H.R. 6858 requires the President to submit an energy security plan to Congress and requires the Energy Secretary to develop a plan to increase oil and gas production on U.S. Federal lands. This legislation reinstates the Keystone XL pipeline, unleashes American natural gas production and oil production, and reverses the oil and gas moratorium on Federal lands and waters so we can harness our U.S.-abundant energy resources. Republicans have brought up this legislation, as has been said before, for consideration several times, but the energy crisis just keeps getting worse and worse, and gas prices keep getting higher. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), my friend and a former police officer. Mr. STAUBER. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, which I am proud to cosponsor with my colleagues, Representatives McMorris Rodgers and Westerman. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline today is $5 and climbing. Let that sink in. It is $5 and going up. Diesel fuel is skyrocketing at an even scarier rate. This is a self-imposed crisis on the American people. As a candidate, Joe Biden pledged again and again to ban development on America's Federal lands and waters. He followed through [[Page H5504]] on that promise, with the House Democrats following suit no matter the pain they cause Americans at the pump, no matter the costs they impose on businesses reliant on shipping, trucking, and more. In contrast, we Republicans are here offering solutions. H.R. 6858 takes away Joe Biden's power to ruin our energy security and our economy by prohibiting harmful drilling bans. The bill creates a minimum number of annual lease sales, both onshore and offshore. It reauthorizes the Keystone XL pipeline so we can resume moving energy throughout our country. Democrats here are calculating that, to reduce emissions, it is a necessary evil to make gas expensive for Americans and punish the middle class. Madam Speaker, let me tell you why that is dead wrong. Under President Trump, when we were net exporters of American energy, we averaged emission reductions of 2.5 percent every year. Under President Biden, his first year in office, we saw a 6 percent jump in domestic emissions. These policies Democrats push every day, again, are punishing the American families, the American workers, and the American middle class. It makes it harder for businesses to turn a profit. It is the leading cause of why our economy officially became a bear market just yesterday. Biden's solution? Trips to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, pleading with communists and human rights violators to bail him out of a problem that he caused. Let that sink in. He is going to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, pleading with communists and human rights violators to bail him out of a problem that he caused. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to my good friend to close. Mr. STAUBER. Madam Speaker, it does not have to be this way. We can bring gas prices down with Republican solutions. As the ranking member of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, I call on my colleagues in this body today to do the right thing and vote for H.R. 6858 to bring relief to the American people. Let's produce our energy right here in America. We have the resources, technology, and the workforce, and we absolutely have the need. Madam Speaker, I urge defeat of the previous question. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I still find it somewhat amusing that my friends across the aisle continue to blame all this on foreign nations and their actions. Let me give a quick history lesson on how President Joe Biden and Democrats actually caused this crisis. Number one, day number one, Joe Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. Number two, he emboldened Putin with Nord Stream 2. I would actually argue he emboldened Putin to invade Ukraine when he recklessly pulled us out of Afghanistan, which served zero military purpose. But I digress. Additionally, Joe Biden suspended oil and gas leasing on Federal lands. He delayed permits for energy and infrastructure pipelines. He drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He revoked permits for critical mineral projects. He canceled oil leases in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. What has this done to gas prices? Well, in California, gas prices are now $9 a gallon. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa). Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, I appreciate my neighbor from Pennsylvania for the time here today and for this effort. I also oppose the previous question and want to, instead, bring forward H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. It really begs the question: With what is going on in the world, why are we dependent upon Russia for anything, especially our energy? If the number was somewhere around 7 percent of the barrels of oil we use, we can easily make it up by our own production in this country, the amazing hydraulic fracturing that put America back on the map for being an exporter of natural gas and all the other development that we can be doing to bring prices back down. This administration just seems impervious to the suffering of the American people right now on the cost of energy and the cost of just about everything else. Well, there is another crisis that is going to be coming out of this, too. We are dependent on Russia and China for a product called urea. Now, what is that? Well, it is made into a fertilizer, basically, that is used extensively in American crops. Also, urea has a use as a component in what is called diesel exhaust fluid. That is a part of making our diesel engines run clean on our trucks and tractors and whatever else uses a diesel engine with DEF in it. We are going to run out of DEF pretty soon. The railroads are having a hard time delivering it. When that happens, that means our trucks don't run anymore because they will not run without this fluid. So, we are dependent on Russia for urea, dependent on Russia for energy, and want to blame Russia for everything. No. We blame this administration because we are not doing the steps it takes to make ourselves independent that we easily have within our grasp to do in order to go for what is this great reset or the incredible transition the President talks about. We are being transitioned by this administration, and it is very dangerous. It is harmful to families, harmful to people's bottom lines on running their households, going to work, getting their kids to school, all because we don't have an energy policy that works. Whether the trucks don't have DEF to be able to deliver the goods to the store or get it out of the field, whatever it is, because we are dependent on Russia for energy and all these things, we are putting ourselves in a real bad spot. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, and I am prepared to close. I yield myself the balance of my time and remind everybody that, in Joe Biden's America, gas prices are averaging more than $5 a gallon; inflation is at a 40-year high; and real wages have decreased 10 out of the last 12 months. Yet, with today's rule, House Democrats are doubling down on far- left, radical policies, really failed policies, that created Joe Biden's economic crisis in the first place. It is well past time that the Biden administration and congressional Democrats admit that they are to blame for the economic pain families are facing and workers are facing, and work with Republicans on solutions to immediately help the American people. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank my friend from Pennsylvania and the Rules Committee for his remarks. I remind folks that the economy under Joe Biden has created over 8 million jobs since he took office. The unemployment rate has dropped from 6.4 percent to 3.6 percent under President Biden. And his first year was the greatest year of job creation in American history. The Federal Reserve has found that household financial well-being reached an all-time high last year. GDP grew in the President's first year by 5.2 percent, the fastest rate since 1984. The U.S. was the first advanced economy that reached prepandemic rates of growth, and we are seeing wages increase for workers. {time} 1345 There is no doubt that inflation and the high cost of gasoline are a challenge. That is the purpose of some of our actions today. It is to hold the private sector accountable, to be responsible to their consumers and the American people. That is why these bills are on the floor, to do something about inflation and the high cost of energy. At the same time, we are preparing for an energy transition. Michigan, California, we are aware of the realities of the current energy economy, but we are getting ready for the new one. [[Page H5505]] In the area I represent, Madam Speaker--you have been out to visit me--I have five refineries. I have represented them in local, State, and Federal Government. Two of them are closed because of the pandemic. They are about to reopen using biofuels that will help everybody, and they are a better business model, according to the oil industry. So all of these things have combined for a challenge. I would agree with my colleague. This is too important, although we have our differences about the approach, that we should engage in problem-solving for Americans. I thank all of my colleagues for these bills and their ideas to deal with inflation and the challenges to American workers. Each of these bills in this rule are worthwhile and impactful, and I look forward to voting for them all soon. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question. The text of the material previously referred to by Mr. Reschenthaler is as follows: Amendment to House Resolution 1170 At the end of the resolution, add the following: Sec. 12. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the bill (H.R. 6858) to strengthen United States energy security, encourage domestic production of crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 13. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 6858. Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous question. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it. Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the 15-minute vote on ordering the previous question will be followed by 5-minute votes on: Adoption of the resolution, if ordered; and Motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 4160. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 216, nays 199, not voting 12, as follows: [Roll No. 259] YEAS--216 Adams Aguilar Allred Auchincloss Axne Barragan Bass Beatty Bera Beyer Bishop (GA) Blumenauer Blunt Rochester Bonamici Bourdeaux Bowman Boyle, Brendan F. Brown (MD) Brown (OH) Brownley Bush Bustos Butterfield Carbajal Cardenas Carson Carter (LA) Cartwright Case Castro (TX) Cherfilus-McCormick Chu Cicilline Clark (MA) Clarke (NY) Cleaver Cohen Connolly Cooper Correa Costa Courtney Craig Crist Crow Cuellar Davids (KS) Davis, Danny K. Dean DeFazio DeGette DeLauro DelBene Demings DeSaulnier Deutch Dingell Doggett Doyle, Michael F. Escobar Eshoo Espaillat Evans Fletcher Foster Frankel, Lois Gaetz Gallego Garamendi Garcia (IL) Garcia (TX) Golden Gomez Gonzalez, Vicente Gottheimer Green, Al (TX) Grijalva Harder (CA) Hayes Higgins (NY) Himes Horsford Houlahan Hoyer Huffman Jackson Lee Jacobs (CA) Jayapal Jeffries Johnson (GA) Johnson (TX) Jones Kahele Kaptur Keating Kelly (IL) Khanna Kildee Kilmer Kim (NJ) Kind Kirkpatrick Krishnamoorthi Kuster Lamb Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Lawrence Lawson (FL) Lee (CA) Lee (NV) Leger Fernandez Levin (CA) Levin (MI) Lieu Lofgren Lowenthal Luria Lynch Malinowski Maloney, Carolyn B. Maloney, Sean Manning Matsui McBath McCollum McEachin McGovern McNerney Meeks Meng Mfume Moore (WI) Morelle Moulton Mrvan Murphy (FL) Nadler Napolitano Neal Neguse Newman Norcross O'Halleran Ocasio-Cortez Omar Pallone Panetta Pappas Pascrell Payne Perlmutter Peters Phillips Pingree Pocan Porter Pressley Price (NC) Quigley Raskin Rice (NY) Ross Roybal-Allard Ruiz Ruppersberger Rush Ryan Sanchez Sarbanes Scanlon Schakowsky Schiff Schneider Schrader Schrier Scott (VA) Scott, David Sherman Sherrill Sires Slotkin Smith (WA) Soto Spanberger Speier Stansbury Stanton Stevens Strickland Suozzi Swalwell Takano Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Titus Tlaib Tonko Torres (CA) Torres (NY) Trahan Trone Underwood Vargas Veasey Velazquez Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Coleman Welch Wexton Wild Williams (GA) Wilson (FL) Yarmuth NAYS--199 Aderholt Allen Amodei Armstrong Babin Bacon Baird Balderson Banks Barr Bentz Bergman Bice (OK) Biggs Bilirakis Bishop (NC) Boebert Bost Brooks Buchanan Buck Bucshon Budd Burchett Burgess Calvert Cammack Carey Carl Carter (GA) Carter (TX) Cawthorn Chabot Cheney Cline Cloud Clyde Cole Comer Crawford Curtis Davidson Davis, Rodney DesJarlais Diaz-Balart Donalds Duncan Dunn Ellzey Emmer Estes Fallon Feenstra Ferguson Fischbach Fitzgerald Fitzpatrick Fleischmann Foxx Franklin, C. Scott Fulcher Gallagher Garbarino Garcia (CA) Gibbs Gimenez Gohmert Gonzales, Tony Gonzalez (OH) Good (VA) Gooden (TX) Gosar Granger Graves (LA) Graves (MO) Green (TN) Greene (GA) Griffith Grothman Guthrie Harris Harshbarger Hartzler Hern Herrell Herrera Beutler Hice (GA) Higgins (LA) Hill Hinson Hollingsworth Hudson Huizenga Issa Jackson Jacobs (NY) Johnson (LA) Johnson (OH) Johnson (SD) Jordan Joyce (OH) Joyce (PA) Katko Keller Kelly (MS) Kelly (PA) Kim (CA) Kinzinger Kustoff LaHood LaMalfa Lamborn Latta LaTurner Lesko Letlow Long Loudermilk Lucas Luetkemeyer Mace Malliotakis Mann Massie Mast McCarthy McCaul McClain McClintock McHenry McKinley Meijer Meuser Miller (WV) Miller-Meeks Moolenaar Mooney Moore (AL) Moore (UT) Mullin Murphy (NC) Nehls Newhouse Norman Obernolte Owens Palazzo Palmer Pence Perry Posey Reschenthaler Rice (SC) Rodgers (WA) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rose Rosendale Rouzer Roy Rutherford Salazar Scalise Schweikert Scott, Austin Sessions Simpson Smith (MO) Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smucker Spartz Stauber Steel Stefanik Steil Steube Stewart Taylor Tenney Thompson (PA) Tiffany Timmons Turner Upton Valadao Van Drew Van Duyne Wagner Walberg Waltz Weber (TX) Webster (FL) Wenstrup Westerman Williams (TX) Wittman Womack Zeldin NOT VOTING--12 Arrington Brady Casten Castor (FL) Clyburn Crenshaw Guest Miller (IL) Pfluger Sewell Walorski Wilson (SC) {time} 1427 Mr. GREEN of Tennessee changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.'' So the previous question was ordered. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Amodei (Balderson) Bustos (Mrvan) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Correa (Huffman) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) Davids (KS) (Neguse) Deutch (Rice (NY)) Evans (Beyer) Gonzalez (OH) (Meijer) Johnson (GA) (Manning) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kahele (Mrvan) Kelly (IL) (Neguse) Khanna (Watson Coleman) Lamb (Blunt Rochester) Lawrence (Stevens) Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz) Lynch (Langevin) Mace (Carter (GA)) McEachin (Beyer) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Nadler (Pallone) Newman (Beyer) O'Halleran (Schrader) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Pallone) Peters (Jeffries) Pingree (Wasserman Schultz) Price (NC) (Manning) Rice (SC) (Meijer) Schneider (Stevens) Speier (Huffman) Stansbury (Garcia (IL)) Stanton (Huffman) Suozzi (Beyer) Taylor (Van Duyne) Tenney (Jackson) Titus (Pallone) Waters (Takano) Welch (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Neguse) =========================== NOTE =========================== June 14, 2022, on page H5505, in the third column, the following appeared: Tenney (Jackson) Titus (Pallone) Walorski (Bucshon) Waters (Takano) Welch (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Neguse) The online version has been corrected to read: Tenney (Jackson) Titus (Pallone) Waters (Takano) Welch (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Neguse) ========================= END NOTE ========================= The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Carter of Louisiana). The question is on the resolution. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it. [[Page H5506]] Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered. This will be a 5-minute vote. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 218, nays 204, not voting 5, as follows: [Roll No. 260] YEAS--218 Adams Aguilar Allred Auchincloss Axne Barragan Bass Beatty Bera Beyer Bishop (GA) Blumenauer Blunt Rochester Bonamici Bourdeaux Bowman Boyle, Brendan F. Brown (MD) Brown (OH) Brownley Bush Bustos Butterfield Carbajal Cardenas Carson Carter (LA) Cartwright Case Castor (FL) Castro (TX) Cherfilus-McCormick Chu Cicilline Clark (MA) Clarke (NY) Cleaver Clyburn Cohen Connolly Cooper Correa Costa Courtney Craig Crist Crow Cuellar Davids (KS) Davis, Danny K. Dean DeFazio DeGette DeLauro DelBene Demings DeSaulnier Deutch Dingell Doggett Doyle, Michael F. Escobar Eshoo Espaillat Evans Fletcher Foster Frankel, Lois Gallego Garamendi Garcia (IL) Garcia (TX) Golden Gomez Gonzalez, Vicente Gottheimer Green, Al (TX) Grijalva Harder (CA) Hayes Higgins (NY) Himes Horsford Houlahan Hoyer Huffman Jackson Lee Jacobs (CA) Jayapal Jeffries Johnson (GA) Johnson (TX) Jones Kahele Kaptur Keating Kelly (IL) Khanna Kildee Kilmer Kim (NJ) Kind Kirkpatrick Krishnamoorthi Kuster Lamb Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Lawrence Lawson (FL) Lee (CA) Lee (NV) Leger Fernandez Levin (CA) Levin (MI) Lieu Lofgren Lowenthal Luria Lynch Malinowski Maloney, Carolyn B. Maloney, Sean Manning Matsui McBath McCollum McEachin McGovern McNerney Meeks Meng Mfume Moore (WI) Morelle Moulton Mrvan Murphy (FL) Nadler Napolitano Neal Neguse Newman Norcross O'Halleran Ocasio-Cortez Omar Pallone Panetta Pappas Pascrell Payne Perlmutter Peters Phillips Pingree Pocan Porter Pressley Price (NC) Quigley Raskin Rice (NY) Ross Roybal-Allard Ruiz Ruppersberger Rush Ryan Sanchez Sarbanes Scanlon Schakowsky Schiff Schneider Schrader Schrier Scott (VA) Scott, David Sewell Sherman Sherrill Sires Slotkin Smith (WA) Soto Spanberger Speier Stansbury Stanton Stevens Strickland Suozzi Swalwell Takano Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Titus Tlaib Tonko Torres (CA) Torres (NY) Trahan Trone Underwood Vargas Veasey Velazquez Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Coleman Welch Wexton Wild Williams (GA) Wilson (FL) Yarmuth NAYS--204 Aderholt Allen Amodei Armstrong Arrington Babin Bacon Baird Balderson Banks Barr Bentz Bergman Bice (OK) Biggs Bilirakis Bishop (NC) Boebert Bost Brady Brooks Buchanan Buck Bucshon Budd Burchett Burgess Calvert Cammack Carey Carl Carter (GA) Carter (TX) Cawthorn Chabot Cheney Cline Cloud Clyde Cole Comer Crawford Crenshaw Curtis Davidson Davis, Rodney DesJarlais Diaz-Balart Donalds Duncan Dunn Ellzey Emmer Estes Fallon Feenstra Ferguson Fischbach Fitzgerald Fitzpatrick Fleischmann Foxx Franklin, C. Scott Fulcher Gaetz Gallagher Garbarino Garcia (CA) Gibbs Gimenez Gohmert Gonzales, Tony Gonzalez (OH) Good (VA) Gooden (TX) Gosar Granger Graves (LA) Graves (MO) Green (TN) Greene (GA) Griffith Grothman Guthrie Harris Harshbarger Hartzler Hern Herrell Herrera Beutler Hice (GA) Higgins (LA) Hill Hinson Hollingsworth Hudson Huizenga Issa Jackson Jacobs (NY) Johnson (LA) Johnson (OH) Johnson (SD) Jordan Joyce (OH) Joyce (PA) Katko Keller Kelly (MS) Kelly (PA) Kim (CA) Kinzinger Kustoff LaHood LaMalfa Lamborn Latta LaTurner Lesko Letlow Long Lucas Luetkemeyer Mace Malliotakis Mann Massie Mast McCarthy McCaul McClain McClintock McHenry McKinley Meijer Meuser Miller (WV) Miller-Meeks Moolenaar Mooney Moore (AL) Moore (UT) Mullin Murphy (NC) Nehls Newhouse Norman Obernolte Owens Palazzo Palmer Pence Perry Pfluger Posey Reschenthaler Rice (SC) Rodgers (WA) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rose Rosendale Rouzer Roy Rutherford Salazar Scalise Scott, Austin Sessions Simpson Smith (MO) Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smucker Spartz Stauber Steel Stefanik Steil Steube Stewart Taylor Tenney Thompson (PA) Tiffany Timmons Turner Upton Valadao Van Drew Van Duyne Wagner Walberg Walorski Waltz Weber (TX) Webster (FL) Wenstrup Westerman Williams (TX) Wilson (SC) Wittman Womack Zeldin NOT VOTING--5 Casten Guest Loudermilk Miller (IL) Schweikert {time} 1437 So the resolution was agreed to. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Amodei (Balderson) Bustos (Mrvan) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Correa (Huffman) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) Davids (KS) (Neguse) Deutch (Rice (NY)) Evans (Beyer) Gonzalez (OH) (Meijer) Johnson (GA) (Manning) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kahele (Mrvan) Kelly (IL) (Neguse) Khanna (Watson Coleman) Lamb (Blunt Rochester) Lawrence (Stevens) Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz) Lynch (Langevin) Mace (Carter (GA)) McEachin (Beyer) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Nadler (Pallone) Newman (Beyer) O'Halleran (Schrader) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Pallone) Peters (Jeffries) Pingree (Wasserman Schultz) Price (NC) (Manning) Rice (SC) (Meijer) Schneider (Stevens) Speier (Huffman) Stansbury (Garcia (IL)) Stanton (Huffman) Suozzi (Beyer) Taylor (Van Duyne) Tenney (Jackson) Titus (Pallone) Walorski (Bucshon) Waters (Takano) Welch (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Neguse) Wilson (SC) (Timmons)