State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today as families across the entire country are struggling with rising costs at the grocery store, on their healthcare, their health insurance, and this year especially, on their utility bills. In fact, in Washington State, average electricity rates are up nearly 17 percent since Trump took office less than 1 year ago.

With energy demand skyrocketing in the region, prices have continued to climb.

Let me be clear. This is a direct result of the harmful and reckless policies of this President and Republicans in Congress. They have canceled billions of dollars in investments for our State, including the hydrogen hub that would expand research and development of hydrogen fuel, bolster American energy dominance, and bring nearly 10,000 jobs to the region.

They have created chaos at critical agencies that keep the lights on like Bonneville Power Administration. Moreover, with their big, ugly bill they have gutted clean energy investments meant to lower utility bills and strengthen our energy infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest and keep the lights on.

With Republicans in charge here in Washington, D.C., jobs and innovation are down, clean energy projects are canceled, and energy prices are up. My constituents deserve better. They want real solutions that will lower costs and better their lives.

At a time when families are struggling to pay for the essentials, the single most valuable thing we can do in the energy sector is roll out more low-cost, clean energy, not hinder it.

We have a real shot at meaningful reforms that will cut red tape and accelerate the build-out of abundant, affordable energy. We can build more power lines for a more connected and nimble grid, and we can secure our supply chain of critical grid infrastructure, as well.

This bill that we are voting on today does none of that, and that is why I am asking my colleagues to oppose this bill and start a good- faith, bipartisan discussion to bring real solutions to the American people, not just empty promises.

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