Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, today I rise to urge my colleagues to support my bipartisan amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Act.

My amendment seeks a commonsense approach to a pressing issue that impacts not only our energy and national security but also the daily lives of millions of Americans, including my constituents, who have struggled with power reliability issues in the wake of increased extreme weather events. Notably, my bipartisan amendment urges the Department of Energy to address domestic shortages of electrical transformers using the existing authorities of the Defense Production Act.

Large power transformers and distribution transformers are the backbone of our Nation's electrical grid. They ensure that power is delivered to homes, businesses, and essential services across our country. Here is the problem: Right now we are facing a significant shortage of these critical pieces of infrastructure due to supply chain challenges. This leaves our grid vulnerable to disruptions, whether from natural disasters or cyberattacks or extreme weather. It also leaves us dependent on other countries, including our foreign adversaries like China, for these key components. This means that both our energy and our national security are at risk.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, which I am very proud to represent, we have experienced significant electricity reliability issues following extreme weather events. Indeed, just this past week, severe storms caused very prolonged power outages in our community, impacting families, businesses, and essential services like hospitals and emergency response units. In addition, more than 130,000 Pennsylvanians were without power during those heat advisories, some for days and days on end. These outages have highlighted the fragility of our current grid infrastructure, and they underscore the current need to bolster our critical energy supply chains.

My district is not alone in these struggles. Indeed, across the Nation, we have seen the impacts of power outages and grid failures as they become more frequent. They disrupt communities, hinder economic activity, and have even claimed lives. Swiftly addressing the shortage of transformers is about protecting our communities, our economy, our national security, and our American way of life.

Luckily, we have the tools to address this issue. There are existing authorities within the Defense Production Act that could be leveraged to bolster domestic manufacturing to supply and repair transformers and ensure that our grid remains resilient and reliable. In fact, in 2022, President Biden granted the authority to utilize the Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic production of transformers and electric grid components.

In addition, I was proud to vote in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act, which also included $500 million in funding for the DPA, or Defense Production Act, much of which is still available to bolster these critical supply chains and should be rapidly deployed. This amendment showcases the strong bipartisan support for the Department of Energy to utilize these existing authorities and existing funding for this purpose.

As co-chair of the bipartisan Climate Solution Caucus, I have worked tirelessly with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to secure our energy infrastructure and to combat climate change. This amendment is a testament to that shared commitment to these goals. I thank my co- chair, Representative Andrew Garbarino, and caucus members Jack Bergman and Don Bacon, and Congresswoman Kim Schrier for their support on this amendment. By addressing the shortage of transformers, we are not only enhancing our Nation's energy security but also advancing our efforts to build a more resilient energy system that serves all of the American people.

In closing, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment to help bolster our grid, to protect families and communities, and to ensure a reliable power supply for all Americans.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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