Brett Guthrie

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7257.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7257, the SECURE Grid Act, sponsored by my colleague and Energy Subcommittee chairman from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District, Mr. Latta. State energy security plans are an important tool for States to consider the vulnerabilities in their energy systems. The interconnected nature of our energy system requires constant information sharing and cohesive planning to assess, identify, and address potential threats. During this historic period of exponential demand growth caused by next-generation industries, we need to be even more vigilant against adversaries that seek to undermine U.S. competitiveness. The SECURE Grid Act is a timely bill that would enhance a State's ability to manage the security of their energy systems. H.R. 7257 will improve visibility into an evolving threat landscape while ensuring that experts in the energy field can help provide critical insights into complex engineering operations. As technology improvements have the potential to positively transform our economy, these tools can also be used and exploited by bad actors. This bill will ensure that States remain on the cutting edge of innovation and security. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta), chairman of the Energy Subcommittee.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I agree that this is a very important bill. We have an interconnected grid, and we have to make sure that all States are ensuring that it is secure. I appreciate my friend from Ohio for bringing this before his subcommittee and the full committee, and I appreciate his efforts. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7257, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7258) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act with respect to functions assigned to Assistant Secretaries, and for other purposes.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7258.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7258, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, sponsored by my colleague Ms. Lee of Florida. The bill was considered and reported favorably by the committee on a unanimous, bipartisan vote because it will strengthen the Department of Energy's important energy emergency mission. The bill requires that the well-established energy emergency and cybersecurity functions at DOE are organized under the leadership of an Assistant Secretary, which is important to maintaining a high level of leadership in DOE's emergency response and cybersecurity functions. The Energy Emergency Leadership Act will ensure the Department has the focused and accountable leadership to more fully protect the public from all the hazards to the energy system, natural or man-made, including emerging threats from our foreign adversaries to the Nation's electric grid. A vote for H.R. 7258 is a vote for ensuring strong leadership during energy emergencies for the benefit of public safety and welfare and for stronger cybersecurity protections in our electricity systems. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lee), my good friend and the author of this legislation.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for working together. I really appreciate working together with both my friends from Florida, both from the Tampa area. It is important to have the right leadership in the right place to make sure we protect ourselves at this vulnerable time. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7258, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7266) to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to include extraneous material on H.R. 7266.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 7266, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, sponsored by Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks from Iowa's First Congressional District. Throughout the 119th Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee has held several hearings examining the state of our Nation's energy system and the persistent threats facing critical infrastructure. We heard directly from industry experts and administration officials about the ability of adversarial nations to exploit vulnerabilities in our energy infrastructure. We know that rising energy demands and a growing reliance on intricate networks of energy delivery systems could widen attack surfaces and opportunities to cause harm and sow chaos in the daily lives of hardworking Americans. These threats are uniquely concerning for rural communities and small utility operators that do not have the same resources as their investor-owned counterparts. These rural cooperatives and municipal utilities are economic drivers for small towns and remote areas of our country to ensure they can participate in the 21st century economy. H.R. 7266 reauthorizes the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program for 5 years to equip small utilities with the resources necessary to secure their systems and keep the lights on for their communities. Importantly, the RMUC Act streamlines burdensome grant application practices at the Department of Energy to reduce unnecessary regulatory bureaucracy. By simplifying the funding process, we can get dollars from the agency into the hands of cybersecurity professionals in a way that meets the urgency needed to address our system needs. In addition, this program will leverage the expertise of the Department of Energy by providing targeted technical assistance to cybersecurity operators to enhance threat visibility and implement security protections. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), who has been a leader in this issue. She stands before us to protect rural and small-town America, and that is exactly what her legislation does.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I appreciate my good friends from Virginia and Iowa working together on this bill. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7266, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7305) to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the Department of Energy's Energy Sector Operational Support for Cyberresilience Program to provide operational support for energy sector cybersecurity and resilience, as amended.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 7305.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7305, the Energy Threat Analysis Center Act, sponsored by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Evans), my good friends. The bill was reported favorably on a unanimous, bipartisan vote by the Energy and Commerce Committee. The United States has one of the most complex energy systems in the world, and those systems are essential for the health and welfare of the public, our economy, and our security. Our adversaries know this, and they work persistently to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in our critical energy infrastructure, creating a looming threat few Americans may appreciate. We must take action to improve our ability to identify, analyze, and share information about these threats to safeguard our systems and mitigate risks and impacts. The Energy Threat Analysis Center, or ETAC, was established as a DOE pilot program just a few years ago. The program convenes energy sector stakeholders and Federal Government experts to more effectively identify and address the threats to our critical infrastructure, especially those posed by our nation- state adversaries. Identifying and mitigating threats will become even more urgent as technology advances. The ETAC enables grid operators to see threats and our intelligence community and Federal experts to better understand system vulnerabilities, improving threat identification. H.R. 7305 reauthorizes ETAC for 5 years and clarifies authorities to enhance collaboration between grid operators, utilities, and the government, including the intelligence community. This is a critical operational program to strengthen the collective defense, response, and resilience of our energy sector. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I thank everyone for their hard work on this bill, and I thank Ms. Castor for her comments about our aging grid or aging infrastructure. I know the big work of this committee going forward through this summer and fall is making sure we have permit reform in place so not only can we move the energy like we talked about with pipelines and generation but transmitting it to where it needs to go. I look forward to those efforts, and I will make that commitment on this floor. I know we will work together to get there, but on this particular piece of legislation, I thank Congresswoman Castor for her hard work on the ETAC, along with Congressman Evans. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7305, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Kerry Allen McDaniel of Horse Cave, Kentucky. Kerry Allen McDaniel dedicated his life to public service and the betterment of the Commonwealth of Kentucky through a distinguished career spanning decades. For 27 years, he served with the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, where he played an integral role in advancing and enforcing regulations across air, waste, and water systems. His breadth of expertise and commitment to protecting Kentucky's natural resources made him a respected leader in his field and a trusted steward of the environment. Following his retirement from state service, Mr. McDaniel continued his commitment to his community by serving as the Emergency Management Director and Solid Waste Coordinator for Hart County. In these roles, he worked tirelessly to ensure the safety, preparedness, and environmental well-being of local residents. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerry was among the first frontline workers in Hart County and the surrounding region, working tirelessly to secure and distribute critical personal protective equipment and ensuring the community remained as safe and protected as possible. Known for his generosity, leadership, and tireless work ethic, Kerry McDaniel leaves behind a lasting legacy defined by service to others and a steadfast commitment to making Kentucky a better place for future generations.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1224, I call up the bill H.R. 1346, to amend the Clean Air Act with respect to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure under that Act, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1346.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025. The bill before us today, specifically the substitute text, was developed by some members of the Rural Domestic Energy Council established by the House in January to work with the stakeholders to identify potential reforms to the RFS program. The underlying bill will allow for year-round sale of 15 percent ethanol and gasoline, which farmers say is needed to provide an additional market for their crops without impacting air quality. Some Members have noted that the proposal would make it more difficult for small refineries, which already face economic and regulatory hardship, to continue to qualify for existing exemptions of RFS obligations and risk their closure as a result. Consideration of this bill today does not mean the work to modernize the RFS program is finished and that other reforms shouldn't be considered. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), a valued member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Dakota (Mrs. Fedorchak), another valued member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).