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Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, over the July 4 recess of Congress, I held Q&A's in 17 counties as part of my annual 99 county meetings. The need for energy independence and the concerns over soaring gas prices were raised at nearly every meeting. As an example, at Woodford Equipment in Emmetsburg, IA, farmers raised their concerns over the high cost of diesel and their pricey commutes to work at that business caused by President Biden's failed energy policies.

Today is a very difficult time for American families and businesses, with gas and diesel prices at record highs--more than doubling since President Biden took office. Americans who drive every day are feeling the impact of an administration that is making it harder to drill and refine fossil fuels.

President Biden has stated that it is the administration's goal to have half of the Nation's vehicles be electric by the year 2030. The Energy Secretary has said that to beat the high gas prices, Americans should purchase electric vehicles. Now, that is practically impossible for most families because the average price of an electric vehicle, according to Kelley Blue Book, is $56,000. That happens to be roughly equivalent to Iowa's median family income.

Even if having half of all cars be electric by 2030 were attainable-- which, of course, it isn't--that presents yet another real problem. Large swaths of the United States' electrical grid are at risk for shortfall this summer. In May, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation released its summer reliability assessment. They identified the West and Midwest as being at heightened risk for energy shortfalls. The farm where I live near Cedar Falls, IA, is served by Cedar Falls municipal electricity, and this is the first time in my life that I have ever gotten a warning from that electric company that we could have brownouts. So if all cars were electric, the United States would need roughly 25 percent more electricity than it does today. We simply cannot add that many electric vehicles to the grid.

While gas prices have gone through the roof, energy prices are not far behind. From June last year until May this year, the Consumer Price Index for electricity rose 12 percent. That is the largest increase in the past 15 years.

With reliability concerns increasing this summer and energy prices rising, Democrats still continue to pursue their Green New Deal agenda. There continue to be rumors of another massive tax-and-spending spree passed on a partisan vote that would push prices even higher.

It is past time for Democrats in Congress and the White House to rethink our Nation's energy policy. Instead of becoming more like Europe, the United States must have an ``all of the above'' strategy. Our country has bountiful resources for energy generation. I am very proud of Iowa, a State that produces over 60 percent of its electricity from wind, but I know that this does not work in every State of the Nation. Fossil fuels still account for 60 percent of electricity generated in the United States.

Instead of focusing on domestic energy production, the President and his administration have caved to environmentalists in shaping our energy policies. Utilities and energy companies are up to the task to provide affordable energy to all Americans. Every year, these companies are becoming cleaner and reducing our carbon footprint. Nevertheless, Washington continues to layer regulation upon regulation, making costs go up.

Between new requirements on banking, blocking new oil leases, and blocking key pipelines, Democrats in Congress seem determined to inflict pain at the pump and also on our energy bills. The world has dramatically changed since President Biden took office. Democrats need to adjust their priorities and stop this madness.

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