Barrasso: ‘Unleashing Affordable, Reliable American Energy Will Fuel American Prosperity’

Today Wyoming Senator John Barrasso spoke on the Senate floor about the Republican agenda to unleash American energy.

Senator Barrasso pointed to Sunnova – "a now bankrupt solar company that was propped up by Biden loans" – as an example of the Democrats’ energy agenda. "Under the Biden administration, energy policy was defined by waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption."

Watch below for Senator Barrasso’s full remarks.

Sen. Barrasso remarks as prepared:

“Americans want, need, and voted for affordable energy. And Americans are starting to feel that relief. This Memorial Day, gas prices were 50 cents lower a gallon than they were one year ago. Families are saving ten bucks when they fill up. Why? Because Joe Biden’s war on American energy is over. I will never forget when Joe Biden told members of his cabinet to prioritize climate over energy that is affordable, available, and reliable.

“President Trump has taken more than 50 bold actions to unleash and unlock American energy. He’s done it onshore, offshore, and in Alaska. He overturned crushing regulations on available, affordable, reliable American coal. He took the handcuffs off of our energy workers and energy producers. I spent Friday at the Wyoming Mining Association Meeting in Laramie, Wyoming. The hardworking men and women of Wyoming are celebrating the actions of President Trump.

“The Republicans comprehensive economic plan unleashes American energy like never before. It opens up new federal land and federal waters leases to ‘all-of-the-above’ energy production. That means oil and natural gas, coal and geothermal, and critical mineral production. It also refills the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Remember, Joe Biden drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserve because gas prices were sky-high in the era of Democrat inflation. He did this rather than allow us to produce American energy at home. He drained it to a dangerously low level. It was the lowest level in over 40 years. He actually sold our emergency oil reserves to China. Republicans are reversing all of this.

“Congress is returning to fiscal sanity and energy reality. Both of those were sorely missing the past four years. Joe Biden’s energy policies were defined by waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption. I investigated Joe Biden’s Department of Energy. It was a disgrace. DOE’s Loan Office funneled billions in taxpayer money to politically-connected wind and solar companies. One of them is a company known as Sunnova. They’re a very shady solar company. Sunnova was called on the carpet for scamming seniors. They targeted seniors and pressured them into signing predatory leases. Joe Biden rewarded this malicious behavior by giving them a $3 billion loan guaranteed by the taxpayers of this country.

“Thankfully, President Trump was able to pull back part of the loan. Sunnova spent $371 million of taxpayer money. Well guess what? Just yesterday, Sunnova filed for bankruptcy. The handwriting was already on the wall. The arrogant, condescending, elitist personnel in Joe Biden’s Department of Energy refused to read it. Republicans must keep investigating. We must finish what we started.

“Today, Republicans in the Senate are unleashing affordable, reliable American energy. It will fuel prosperity and benefit the entire country. Families will pay lower energy bills. Small businesses will be able to afford to invest and expand. Our country will no longer depend on dictators for energy and critical minerals.

“America is an energy superpower. Under Republican leadership, we are acting like it.”