Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing titled “Holding the Biden-Harris EPA Accountable for Radical Rush-to-Green Spending.” 

“American families are struggling to make ends meet. 

“The Biden-Harris administration’s radical rush-to-green energy policies have fueled out-of-control inflation, which has driven up prices by more than 20 percent and destroyed the economic stability American families deserve. 

“While American families are increasingly worried about unaffordable costs, the Biden-Harris administration is working relentlessly to expand its radical energy agenda. 

“Today we’ll examine the Biden-Harris EPA—the most radical EPA to date—and its rush-to-green spending spree, as well as how we can hold them accountable for the American people.” 

MASSIVE NEW EPA BUDGET 

“In November of 2021, the Biden-Harris administration signed into law the so-called ‘Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,’ authorizing $1.2 trillion in spending. 

“$60 billion dollars of this taxpayer funding was provided to the EPA—the single largest grant of funding EVER at one time to the agency—doubling their overall budget for five straight years. 

“Not even one year later, in August of 2022, the Biden-Harris administration provided another $41.5 billion to the EPA in the so-called ‘Inflation Reduction Act.’ 

“As Republicans warned, the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ did not lower inflation. It made already surging inflation worse. 

“Recently, President Biden admitted that the goal of the bill was to fund his radical rush-to-green agenda, calling it ‘the most significant climate change law ever.’” 

LEARNING FROM THE PAST 

“Spending at this pace and scale for any agency should raise concerns, but especially for an agency like the EPA with a known track record of waste, fraud, and abuse. 

“Fifteen years ago, the Obama administration doled out $787 billion in taxpayer money to pay for a slew of left-wing programs and pet projects. 

“The EPA was given roughly $7.2 billion—nearly doubling its annual budget at the time. 

“Even at that level, the EPA was not able to responsibly manage the spending. 

“The Inspector General at the time found funding that violated various federal requirements, poor guidance from the agency to states and recipients of the money, and problems with managing, monitoring and verifying where the money was being spent. 

“That is why it is incredibly alarming that since President Biden took office, the EPA has been given $109 billion in additional funding and grown its workforce to over 15,000 employees. 

“The amount of funding and the scope of these laws demand consistent and rigorous oversight by Congress and independent bodies like the Inspector General, especially considering the failures of the past. 

“Anything less is a disservice to taxpayers.” 

EPA’S RADICAL TAX AND SPEND AGENDA 

“The EPA cannot continue to fund the most radical parts of a rush-to-green agenda—one that puts America on a dangerous path—threatens our economic and national security and enriches our adversaries, like China. 

“Take, for example, the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which is just a $27-billion slush fund of taxpayer money that is vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. 

“At an Oversight Subcommittee hearing we held earlier this year the EPA could not confirm whether or not the Chinese Communist Party could receive money from this fund. 

“Additionally, the EPA has issued stringent and burdensome regulations on coal and natural gas-fired power plants, while also dragging their feet in processing carbon capture permits, which are needed to comply with these power plant regulations. 

“The EPA is imposing harsh government mandates, and then making it even harder for plants to adjust to the new rules. 

“There are countless examples of EPA’s radical rush-to-green spending and regulatory policies like these.

“It is troubling that the Democrat-led Inflation Reduction Act did not provide the Office of Inspector General—the office that ensures accountability and integrity at the EPA—funding to conduct necessary oversight.

“In addition to greater accountability and transparency, the EPA must also return to its core statutory functions, which do not include undermining the economic prosperity of the United States or driving costs up across the board for Americans.

“Sunshine is the best disinfectant, and I look forward to shining more light on what is happening at the EPA during today’s hearing.”