Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), on behalf of the Oversight and Energy Subcommittee Republicans, today wrote to Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Program Office (LPO) Director Jigar Shah. 

In the letter, the Chairs note Mr. Shah’s failure to adequately respond to multiple requests for information from the Energy and Commerce Committee and other Congressional Committees.

KEY LETTER EXCERPT: 

“Recent reports, your testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the exponential expansion of the LPO’s loan authority of over $400 billion have raised legitimate questions regarding how the program plans to spend taxpayer dollars. As the LPO continues publicly to emphasize its commitment to transparency, full cooperation would have provided this program office with an opportunity to address these issues. However, you have failed to cooperate in a meaningful way with the Committee’s efforts to exercise its constitutionally based oversight responsibilities.” 

The Chairs request Mr. Shah provide the previously requested information by February 6, 2024, or they will be forced to consider compulsory measures. 

CLICK HERE to read the letter. 

BACKGROUND ON PREVIOUS REQUESTS: 

• October 18, 2023: Chair Rodgers and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Ranking Member John Barrasso requested more information about the nature of Director Shah’s involvement with Cleantech Leaders Roundtable during his time leading the LPO. CLICK HERE to read the letter. 
• December 4, 2023: Chairs Rodgers, Griffith, and Duncan requested more information about the LPO’s process for vetting and approving loan applications in light of reports of the poor financial position of Li-Cycle, a company that received a conditional commitment for a loan. CLICK HERE to read the letter. 
• December 7, 2023: Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Barrasso wrote to Director Shah seeking more information about the LPO’s review and awareness of troubling business practices by Sunnova, a recent partial loan guarantee recipient. CLICK HERE to read the letter.