House GOP fights back on restrictive, Biden-era energy policies
House Republicans just dropped a double-barreled blast against Biden-era energy roadblocks, passing two powerhouse bills to turbocharge American fuel production, as the Daily Caller reports.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives greenlit the REFINER Act and the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, both aimed at revitalizing domestic energy by supporting refineries and fast-tracking liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects.
Let’s start with the REFINER Act, introduced by Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio, which sailed through with a solid 230-176 vote.
Refinery Revival Takes Center Stage
This bill isn’t just paperwork -- it tasks the National Petroleum Council with delivering a hard-hitting report to Congress and the Energy Secretary on how U.S. policies have kneecapped the petrochemical refinery sector.
House Republicans are pitching this as a wake-up call, a chance to optimize operations and slash costs for everyday folks at the pump.
After all, if we’re not refining our own resources efficiently, we’re just handing cash to foreign suppliers while consumers groan at the checkout.
LNG Projects Get a Lifeline
Then there’s the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act, pushed by Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, which passed 217-188 and shifts project approvals from the politically charged Department of Energy (DOE) to the more technical, bipartisan Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Under Biden’s watch, the DOE slammed the brakes on most LNG approvals, with a 2024 order effectively freezing progress -- a move critics called a pandering nod to well-funded environmental groups.
Handing the reins to FERC, an independent agency with commissioners from both parties, could shield the industry from future administrative overreach, or so proponents hope.
Energy Dominance as Economic Booster
Supporters of both bills argue they’re a one-two punch for the American economy, promising to streamline LNG exports and bolster refinery output without the constant threat of bureaucratic meddling.
“Today’s House passage of my Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act is another major victory in achieving American energy dominance,” Rep. August Pfluger told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Well, if dominance means cutting through red tape, this might just be the ticket.
“My legislation reforms the broken, politically weaponized approval process so we can streamline permitting for exporting LNG once and for all,” Pfluger continued. Critics of the old system might nod along, given how the DOE, led by a presidential appointee, often bends to political winds unlike the more insulated FERC.
Lower Costs, Stronger Security
House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer didn’t hold back either, stating to the Daily Caller News Foundation, “House Republicans and President Trump are undoing the damage done by climate alarmists and activist bureaucrats.”
While the rhetoric is sharp, the frustration over years of restrictive policies driving up consumer costs is a real concern for many.
These bills now head to the Senate, where the debate will likely heat up over whether this push for energy production undermines environmental goals or simply restores balance to a lopsided system.




