OPINION:
Affordable and reliable energy is fundamental to a strong economy, a secure nation and the everyday lives of American families.
For families across Central and Northern Illinois, the cost of energy affects nearly every part of the household budget. For our farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses, affordable and reliable power is essential to staying competitive, investing in our communities and creating jobs.
That is why America needs an energy policy built around producing more energy here at home and putting American workers, resources, and families first. President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are working to advance that approach and restore American energy dominance.
The United States is blessed with the resources, workers, technology and innovation necessary to be the global leader in energy production. We should be taking advantage of those strengths instead of placing unnecessary barriers in the way of American energy producers and relying on adversarial countries to power our nation.
We need an all-of-the-above energy strategy that embraces American oil and natural gas, nuclear power, biofuels and emerging technologies. Each has a role to play in building a stronger, more reliable and more affordable energy system.
Illinois is uniquely positioned to help lead this effort. We are home to the nation’s largest nuclear power fleet, a robust agricultural economy that supports ethanol and other biofuels and a diverse mix of traditional and renewable resources, including wind and solar power.
Increasing domestic production is also a matter of national security. America cannot allow China, Russia, or any other adversarial nation to control the resources and supply chains that power our economy. China’s dominance in the processing of many critical minerals and key components used throughout the energy sector should serve as a warning. We must strengthen domestic production and processing of critical minerals, rebuild American supply chains and work with trusted allies when resources cannot be sourced here at home. This is imperative to securing our country and reducing the leverage hostile governments can hold over the United States.
Energy independence requires more than simply producing energy domestically; we also need modernized infrastructure capable of delivering it. That means upgrading our electric grid, building pipelines, and developing other critical infrastructure to ensure that power generation can keep pace with growing demand. If America wants to lead the world in manufacturing and technological innovation, we must have the energy capacity to power that growth.
As we look to lead the world in technological advancements in sectors like AI and the buildout of data centers, it is critical that we are mindful of the impact they could have on electricity costs. That’s why I was proud to support H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, when it was recently approved in the House of Representatives This bipartisan legislation makes a commonsense change requiring large data centers to cover the additional grid costs necessary to serve their energy demands rather than shifting those costs onto families and local businesses. While winning the AI race is critical to our national security, we cannot saddle Americans with a higher electricity bill each month.
We also need to reform a permitting system that causes major energy and infrastructure projects to become trapped in years of delays. Responsible environmental review is important, but projects that strengthen our grid, expand domestic production and create American jobs should not be held hostage by endless and unnecessary red tape.
Ultimately, energy policy must keep the American people and their interests at the forefront. Families should not have to choose between heating their homes and paying for groceries. Farmers should not see their operating costs driven higher because of unnecessary energy constraints. Manufacturers should not be forced to reconsider investments in American communities because reliable electricity is too expensive or unavailable.
America has the resources to meet these challenges. By unleashing domestic energy production, strengthening our infrastructure, continuing to cut unnecessary regulatory barriers and embracing an all-of-the-above approach, we can lower costs, create good-paying American jobs, strengthen our national security and ensure the United States remains the best place in the world to invest and build.
Energy dominance is how we deliver affordable energy for families today and a more affordable America for generations to come, and it can be achieved by American workers, American innovation and American resources.
• Rep. Darin LaHood has represented Illinois since 2015. He serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he chairs the subcommittee on Work and Welfare.
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