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FIRST ON FOX: An internal House GOP memo obtained by Fox News Digital shows that President Biden’s energy policies will be a major issue for Republicans hoping to keep their majority in November.
The 175-member strong Republican Study Committee, led by Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., sent a list of talking points to its members that encouraged them to highlight the impacts of the Biden administration’s moves on electric vehicles (EVs), power plants, and liquified natural gas (LNG) exports, among other energy policies.
“Biden’s policies threaten to destabilize America’s electric grid, embolden our adversaries, and further exacerbate the pain Americans are experiencing when they fill their tanks and pay their energy bills,” the memo stated.
“[I]t is important that conservatives not lose sight of the dangers of Biden’s energy policies and champion an agenda that fully utilizes our country’s vast abundance of clean, reliable, and abundant energy resources,” it also said.
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President Biden’s energy policies are the focus of a new election-focused memo for House Republicans. (Getty Images)
On EVs, the GOP memo hit Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a new emissions rule intended to push automakers to sell more electric cars, likely leading to more than half of new cars sold in the U.S. being electric by 2032.
“The rule rids consumers of choice and instead forces them to buy less reliable, more expensive vehicles,” Republicans and Republican candidates are expected to note.
It also argued that “forcing EVs upon American consumers and manufacturers will embolden China and devastate America’s auto industry” and accused Biden of trying to “bend federal policies” in favor of his “preferred industries.”
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Biden’s pause on LNG exports has also been a potent political cudgel for Republicans, and the memo encouraged lawmakers to point out reports that he levied it after pressure from TikTok influencers and climate change lobbyists.
“Despite several prior studies from the Department of Energy demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of U.S. LNG exports, President Biden cites the ‘climate crisis’ and his desire to ‘heed the calls of young people’ as his basis for surrendering U.S. leadership in the global LNG market,” the memo said.
The memo included Biden’s provisions on electric cars as well as LNG exports and permitting policies. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
It also argued that Biden’s pause on LNG exports strengthens Russia’s energy market, which it uses to finance its invasion of Ukraine.
Recent EPA rules aimed at cutting down on power plant pollution were done in “utter disregard to the law and grid reliability,” the memo stated.
It encouraged lawmakers to specifically hit Biden for wanting to shut down fossil fuel plants via the Clean Power Plan 2.0 rule, Mercury Air Toxics Standards, Effluent Limitation Guidelines, and Coal Combustion residuals.
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“Most egregiously, the EPA is seeking to force existing coal plants and new natural gas plants to adopt carbon capture and storage technologies in less than a decade or face retirement. While a promising innovation that could flourish in a free market, carbon capture technology is far from commercially available, and mandating its adoption runs directly afoul of the Clean Air Act,” it said.
It comes as House GOP leaders similarly ramped up their focus on energy regulations and costs to American families, recently focusing an entire week on energy-related legislation.
Gas prices, for example, are expected to rise this summer.
Additionally, a report by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association projects home energy costs will rise 7.9% across the country as families try to stay cool this summer.
While it’s not unusual to see energy and gas prices rise in warmer months, it’s also a burden voters could feel acutely heading into the November presidential election.
However, for now, Americans are experiencing some relief – the national average as of Thursday is roughly $3.49, lower than the $3.55 average at this time last year.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, EPA and Department of Energy for comment on the memo.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
