‘No such thing’: GOP Rep. derides energy transition ‘myth’ during hearing

Texas GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt gave an impassioned defense of the fossil fuel industry during a Thursday hearing on protecting American energy jobs and the economy, where he claimed that an “energy transition” is a lie.

“We live in a world where we need more electrons,” Rep. Hunt said. “And I want to do away and dispel this myth of a transition. There is no such thing as a transition; there's only energy addition, and it's going to be a mix.” 

Hunt proceeded to speak in defense of “middle America,” claiming efforts by the Biden administration to pursue a green transition will wreak havoc on their lives.

“We are literally going to destroy our economy at no gain to the globe. We are living in times of record inflation, record debt, record energy prices, and quite frankly, middle America… can't afford it,” Hunt proclaimed. “The only way that we're going to be able to afford it is to unleash American energy.”

His comments were made during a Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee hearing titled: "Safeguarding American Jobs and Economic Growth: Examining the Future of the Offshore Leasing Program." Key points of the hearing included Biden's Department of Interior being "more than a year overdue" in its issuance of a 5-year offshore oil and gas leasing program, as well as the administration's "inaction" on new lease sales.

Two energy executives and the president of a Louisiana parish testified on the need for fossil fuels to grow the economy, supply cheap and reliable energy, and protect the livelihoods of local families. The minority witness, Gulf South Advocate Justin Solet, dissented from this message, arguing that fossil fuels and the fossil fuel industry are harming people and the planet.

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