Biden Pledges To Block Dangerous Policy Agenda From House GOP

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A statement from the Biden team says the president is prepared to veto a proposal passed on Thursday by the GOP majority in the House that would provide a range of supports for the development of new initiatives in fossil fuel production across the United States, even including adding to oil and gas drilling opportunities across federal lands and waters.

The president and Democrats in Congress have already undertaken their own ambitious maneuvers to support American energy, with backing for both the production and implementation of clean energy. On the implementation side, Democrats have made tax benefits available for transitioning to solar power, making improvements to energy efficiency in buildings, and acquiring vehicles running on clean power sources, besides also supporting the production of necessary equipment specifically in the U.S. The Biden team also outlined a structure for required environmental reviews associated with proposed infrastructure projects that, in a break with Trump’s approach, would specifically include considerations of the impacts in areas like climate change. Also considered per the Democrats’ approach would be indirect emissions and environmental justice.

Among what led to concerns among Democrats about the proposal from Republicans were also billions of dollars in subsidies that would be evidently made available for companies potentially responsible for dangerous pollution, besides speeding up environmental reviews — and, according to Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), sometimes prioritizing the perspective of responsible parties themselves, meaning interests outside the government.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is advancing an unparalleled expansion of American-made energy that will reduce costs, secure supply chains, and create good-paying jobs,” the president’s team said in their statement. “The Administration has made dramatic progress in every area. Both oil and natural gas production in the United States are projected to reach record highs this year, the President has authorized the use of the Defense Production Act to strengthen our supply chains, and the Administration is making historic investments to deploy clean energy, accelerate permitting, and create jobs. The Administration wants to work in bipartisan manner with Congress to address lowering energy costs, permitting reform, and addressing energy challenges. However, H.R. 1 would take us backward.” It’s highly unlikely to get to Biden even needing to veto the measure, since Democrats are still controlling the Senate.