Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, today I rise to urge my colleagues to support my bipartisan amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Act. My amendment seeks a commonsense approach to a pressing issue that impacts not only our energy and national security but also the daily lives of millions of Americans, including my constituents, who have struggled with power reliability issues in the wake of increased extreme weather events. Notably, my bipartisan amendment urges the Department of Energy to address domestic shortages of electrical transformers using the existing authorities of the Defense Production Act. Large power transformers and distribution transformers are the backbone of our Nation's electrical grid. They ensure that power is delivered to homes, businesses, and essential services across our country. Here is the problem: Right now we are facing a significant shortage of these critical pieces of infrastructure due to supply chain challenges. This leaves our grid vulnerable to disruptions, whether from natural disasters or cyberattacks or extreme weather. It also leaves us dependent on other countries, including our foreign adversaries like China, for these key components. This means that both our energy and our national security are at risk. In southeastern Pennsylvania, which I am very proud to represent, we have experienced significant electricity reliability issues following extreme weather events.…”