Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee will look to lay down a marker on conservative energy policy in the 119th Congress when they hold their first energy-focused hearing of the year on Wednesday.
The Subcommittee on Energy, now chaired by Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), will quickly align itself with President Donald Trump’s energy agenda, with Republicans expected to highlight the ways they plan to increase energy production beyond today’s record-high levels and lower Americans’ energy bills.
The hearing — titled “Powering America’s Future: Unleashing American Energy” — will also be the first opportunity for the subcommittee’s Democrats, now led by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), to hone their messaging on why Republicans’ push to boost fossil fuels and target energy efficiency standards could backfire.
In a joint statement, Latta and full committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), said they plan to discuss “ways to achieve our goals and return to a golden age of American energy.”