Washington D.C. — Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following remarks before Rules Committee today on H.R. 5376, the Democrats’ plan for more inflation, higher taxes, unreliable & unaffordable energy, fewer but more expensive lifesaving cures, and an emboldened China.   

Her remarks, as prepared for delivery: 

JOE BIDEN’S CRISES 

“Almost a year ago, we were all here at the Rules Committee, testifying on the Democrat’s tax and spending spree and the devastating harm it would have on our economy, energy security, and medical care. 

“Since, under Democrat’s one-party rule, inflation has continued to spiral out of control, gas and energy prices have risen to record highs, health care costs continue to climb, families can’t find baby formula, and we are now in a recession.  

“Yet here we are again, debating the same dangerous policies under a new name, the ‘Inflation Reduction Act.’ 

“Despite the Democrats’ misleading name, there’s no evidence this will fix the inflation crisis they created. 

“Their latest $700 billion socialist agenda will raise taxes and costs across every income level all so Democrats and President Joe Biden can fund their agenda and seek more federal command and control in people’s lives.? 

“More inflation, higher taxes, unreliable and unaffordable energy, fewer but more expensive lifesaving cures, and an emboldened China.  

“That is the pain Democrats will further inflict on the hardworking people of this country as they double down on this grand socialist agenda.” 

GRAND SOCIALIST AGENDA 

“It gives kickbacks to Democrats political allies and campaign donors, all while the government print records amount of money that we don’t have to build more inflation.?? 

“It’s an ugly tax on every part of people’s lives—from the gas pump to the grocery store.? 

“I will submit that this grand socialist agenda that destroys freedom and emboldens our enemies is not how we win the future.” 

SHUTTING DOWN AMERICAN ENERGY 

“This legislation continues Democrats’ war on American energy, jobs, and affordable prices. 

“They are increasing the pain at the pump by reviving and doubling a tax on refiners and crude oil importers that Republicans killed when we took back the House in 1994.

“The natural gas tax will raise costs across the board on everything from heating homes to fertilizer and food.

“Their blatant attempts to transform America dramatically with their rush to green transition will make us reliant on Chinese supply chains and slave labor.

“And while families get zero relief from President Biden’s energy crisis, Democrats are sending payouts to their political allies to use Chinese supply chains to make solar panels, wind turbines, and electric car batteries for the rich.

“For example, for the EPA there’s a $27 billion national climate bank, a $3 billion environmental justice and climate block grants program, a $5 billion pollution reduction grants program, and a $1 billion for electric garbage trucks and school buses.

“For DOE, there’s a $9 billion for rebate programs for electric appliances heat pumps, and energy efficient home retrofits, $1 billion to use building codes to ban fossil fuels, $2 billion for private entities to build transmission lines for more wind and solar, and $200 million to train insulation and electrification contractors.

“The spending goes on and on to tally to $370 billion to radically transform American life with more inflation and unaffordable prices by shutting down domestic energy and reliable fossil fuels. 

“How far will Democrats force families to stretch their budgets on surging energy bills? 

“An energy company just told me that without a strong energy mix that includes natural gas, their customers’ electricity bills would double. Double. 

“They said people need choices to keep costs affordable and the lights on. 

 “We all remember the Solyndra scandal when they defaulted on a $500 million loan from DOE. 

“This bill pumps $250 billion of loan authority into the same DOE loan guarantee program.   

“And even worse, it uses $5 billion in taxpayer dollars to cover credit subsidy costs that companies taking these loans had to cover in the past. 

“It’s Solyndra on steroids. 

“This bill doesn’t include any meaningful permitting reform and we can’t buy this chatter from Senator Manchin that that will come next. 

“Democrats were united against necessary permitting and regulatory reforms in the Senate. 

“With the President blocking mines and shutting down energy infrastructure projects, there’s little trust this administration and Democrats will come to the table on these reforms.” 

FEWER CURES AND MORE DEPENDENCY ON CHINESE SUPPLY CHAINS? 

“Regarding the health care provisions in this tax and spending spree, this puts us on a path to socialized medicine. 

“Instead of working with Republicans on the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, which caps what seniors pay out of their own pocket for drugs without jeopardizing innovation, the Democrats are resurrecting Speaker Pelosi’s socialist price controls that failed in the Energy and Commerce Committee. 

“Their scheme will lead to fewer cures here in America. 

“It will make future drugs more expensive if they are able to launch to all and it will embolden China’s biomedical leadership and the CCP’s grip on the world’s medical supply chains. 

“According to the Congressional Budget Office, price controls will lead to 15 fewer drugs and treatments coming to the market. 

“That is a modest estimate with other studies suggesting we could see more than 100 fewer cures. 

“Democrats have previously stated that this is the price they are willing to pay to give Secretary Becerra and a new $3 billion health care bureaucracy the power to determine if a new cure or drug is worth it. 

“That price could be eliminating hope for patients with cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and much more.  

“CBO also confirmed that these price controls—which tie drugs covered by Medicare to Biden’s inflation crisis—will lead to higher costs for future drugs when they launch. 

“So, despite promises for lower costs, this will mean Americans will pay more at the pharmacy counter. 

“Shockingly, there is no pricing floor for the so-called 'negotiation' price, meaning health care bureaucrats could force a drug company to accept a figure as low as $1 or face up to a 95 percent excise tax. 

“This is not a negotiation in any sense of the word.  

“This is political extortion—extortion that will drive medical investments overseas into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. 

“It will ensure that American seniors no longer reap the benefits of cutting-edge medical innovation.   

“And Democrats aren’t even using the supposed savings from these price controls on improving health care for seniors, but instead subsidizing Obamacare and other unrelated energy projects. 

“If this legislation is passed, 10 years from now, seniors will end up with fewer cures and still no certainty that Medicare will be able to pay for their health care.” 

NOT THE FUTURE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT 

“I’ll close with a picture of where this scheme leads. 

“Blackouts, more unaffordable electricity bills, more tax hikes, jobs destroyed, no hope to cure diseases, long lines of the sick begging the government for more expensive lifesaving treatments, an army of IRS agents harassing and snooping on people’s bank accounts, and weak American defenses against our adversaries like China and Russia.? 

“Is this really the future we really want? For more command and control of the federal government in our lives?? 

“People have suffered enough under President Joe Biden’s inflation crisis. 

“This is not the future anyone wants.  

“If Democrats were listening to the American people, they would abandon this tax and spending spree and get to work with us to reverse the damage their agenda has already caused. 

“Republicans stand ready lift the regulatory burden, flip the switch on for more American energy production, and lower health care costs. 

“That is what the American people rightfully want and deserve for a better quality of life.”