Later today, we’ll be working on the nomination of Christopher Wright of Colorado to be Secretary of Energy.
I rise now to speak in support of that nomination.
In his confirmation hearing, Mr. Wright affirmed that he would testify before Congress when called upon, and I would also expect him to answer any questions from me and my colleagues here in Congress.
I did not have the opportunity to meet with Mr. Wright, but if I had met with him, I would have told him about the importance of whistleblowers and the need to listen to any whistleblowers in the Department of Energy.
Mr. Wright has spoken of the need to build out domestic energy through the use of multiple sources.
I subscribe to an all-of-the-above energy philosophy.
Some people only like all above ground solutions – wind and solar.
Others only like all below ground – oil and gas.
But when I say all-of-the-above, I mean all of the above the ground and all the energy that can come from below the ground.
Iowa fits into this philosophy as a leader in alternative energy production.
Over 60 percent of Iowa’s electricity comes from wind turbines, which also sustains over 4,000 jobs across the state.
Iowa is the number one state for biofuels production.
Ethanol and biodiesel contribute nearly 5 billion dollars to the Iowan economy, often supporting rural communities.
Renewable natural gas is also a growing industry in Iowa, and I am hopeful to have nuclear energy join the generation mix once again as well.
I look forward working with Mr. Wright to continue supporting American energy dominance through an all of the above approach.
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