Thank you, Chairman Lamb.
My amendment addresses a topic we are all familiar with that remains relevant to the bill proposed today. H. Res. 109, or the Green New Deal resolution, proposes federal action that would be significantly damaging to the U.S. economy.
My amendment spells out my concerns on the impact these policies would have on my constituents in Texas and the nation if they were to be enacted.
Let’s review what we know about the Green New Deal. We know that housing, energy, and food prices for all individuals would see significant increases. Estimates have placed the total cost of the Green New Deal at $93 trillion over ten years. Looking further at that number, that would cost each household over $60,000 per year.
Simply put, we cannot afford to place the burden of unreasonable and reckless policy on the hard-working taxpayers we represent.
Irrational spending aside, we must also address the feasibility of the proposed solutions. Even just two proposals from this plan – requiring 100 percent of our power from zero-emission energy sources in 10 years and upgrading every existing building in the country – would essentially flip the power switch off for American manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture industries and the ability to produce and improve the quality of water. And that’s without the mandates for federal job guarantees and government-run healthcare that are proposed in this resolution.
With only 15 percent of the proposals in the Green New Deal focused on environmental policies, it seems like the goal of this plan – intended or otherwise – is devastating our current workforce and infrastructure, not ensuring we have clean air and clean water.
Instead of sending our country into bankruptcy, if we want to responsibly address climate change, we should invest in the basic research that can accelerate the development of innovative clean energy technologies in the United States. By encouraging cooperative research and collaboration across multi-disciplinary groups – like what is proposed in H.R. 34 – we can address environmental challenges while improving the efficiency of energy production.
Through targeted investments in critical research, America has the opportunity to lead the world in clean energy technology. And by partnering with American industry, we can achieve the ultimate goal of selling achievable, affordable, clean, and reliable energy technologies at home and around the world.
Now, I support this bill, and I’m willing to withdraw this amendment if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are unable to support it.
But I think that it’s time for this Committee to take a position about the Green New Deal, have a debate on the policies it recommends, and work together to advance commonsense technology solutions.