Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOLDMAN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me first express my condolences to the Scott family on the passing of our colleague, Congressman David Scott.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, led by my colleague Representative Langworthy.

Nearly 20 years ago, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which required Federal facilities to phase out fossil fuels with the goal of eliminating all onsite fossil fuel-generated energy by 2030.

Over the years, those requirements were nowhere close to being met.

Ignoring these mandates, the Biden administration expanded the scope of this law and doubled down on the 2030 deadline to remove all natural gas from Federal facilities. That deadline is now just 4 years away. Any attempt to meet these ridiculous requirements will lead to serious consequences.

The Federal facilities subject to these green energy mandates are fundamental to our energy safety, security, and our economy. Military bases, hospitals, computing centers, national laboratories, and courthouses are among the critical facilities that would be put at risk of unreliable power.

A report from the Department of Energy acknowledges that a full transition to green energy sources would be extraordinarily expensive and unworkable. The Government Accountability Office has also warned that imposing these mandates on military intelligence centers could not only threaten reliable power but also compromise our national security.

These extreme green energy mandates would be costly, impractical, and dangerous. Without the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act to repeal them, we are looking at higher energy costs passed on to taxpayers, unreliable power for critical systems, and a serious threat to military readiness.

Don't just take my word for it. Energy companies from my home State of Texas have provided valuable insight and testimony into how unreliable energy would harm our Federal facilities.

ONE Gas, a natural gas utility operating in my congressional district, supports the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act. They understand that natural gas is essential to providing reliable and resilient power to our most critical infrastructure. Additionally, the American Gas Association, which represents many incredible Texas-based energy companies, also supports this legislation. The association has made clear that natural gas remains the most dependable energy resource available.

Especially during emergencies and power outages, reliable natural gas is critical to keeping Federal facilities online. Removing that dependable energy source is shortsighted and puts these facilities at unnecessary risk.

When our national security is on the line, we cannot simply hope that the wind blows and the Sun shines. We need reliable, secure, and affordable energy for our most critical facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act.

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