Committee Democrats Silence Minority Voice, Vote Against Scientific Energy Policy

Press Release

After abruptly adjourning last week's Committee on Natural Resources proceedings in the face of Republican calls to address skyrocketing gas prices, today, Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)resumed advancing Democrats' big cats agenda, disregarding the fact that gas prices have climbed to $5 per gallon in the past week. When Republican members offered amendments to realign the committee's focus to the current energy crisis facing Americans, Grijalva ended debate and silenced any further discussions.

"As members of the Committee on Natural Resources, we have a particular responsibility to steward America's resources well," Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said during the markup. "Part of that responsibility is overseeing our domestic oil and gas production, ensuring it is done sustainably. Yet this year, when America needs domestic energy more than ever before, this committee's majority has yet to bring a single energy bill to markup. Instead, we spent last week, and now this week, talking about cats...There are ways Congress can and should be addressing this crisis, including incentivizing oil and gas leasing, reopening pipelines, and flipping the switch on American energy dominance. I and my colleagues have legislation introduced and ready to go that would do just that and more. Yet when we tried to refocus this markup on the issues that matter, Mr. Chair, you adjourned the meeting. Now, you've had a whole week to come back and include bills that would unlock American resources and provide immediate relief to struggling families. But we're still talking about cats. That's not Groundhog Day, that's just the Democrat agenda."

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