Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy, announced that the House of Representatives has passed his Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining (REFINER) Act to help increase energy refining capacity in the United States.
Over the last several years, North America lost an estimated one million barrels of fuel per day due to low refining capacity. The REFINER Act would address this crisis by collecting critical information, including identifying factors leading to low refining capacity, and presenting lawmakers with recommendations to expand refining capacity to ensure an abundance of affordable and reliable energy in the United States.
“As energy demand grows, we have to ensure our refining capacity grows with it to maintain America’s energy dominance. The REFINER Act will provide the data and insight needed to guide decisions that reinforce our energy infrastructure and help keep fuel costs low for American families. I thank my House colleagues for supporting and passing my bill and urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation as soon as possible,” Latta said.
“By unleashing American energy, House Republicans are leading the way to support our nation’s energy security, strengthen our grid, and lower prices for hard-working families. The REFINER Act will help to ensure our refineries are being used effectively to produce the oil, gas, and other critical feedstocks we rely upon while the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act expands American energy production and infrastructure by removing U.S. LNG export restrictions, which the Biden-Harris Administration politicized and abused," said Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Background on the REFINER Act:
The REFINER Act would require the National Petroleum Council to submit a report to the Secretary of Energy and Congress, detailing:
- the role of petrochemical refineries in the U.S. and the contribution they make to the energy security of the United States, including the reliability of supply in the U.S. of liquid fuels and feedstocks, and the affordability of liquid fuels for consumers in the U.S.;
- analyses and projections for the capacity of petrochemical refineries in the U.S., opportunities for expanding capacity, and current risks to the refineries;
- an assessment of any Federal or State executive actions, regulations, or policies that have caused or contributed to a decline in refining capacity; and
- any recommendations for Federal agencies and Congress to encourage an increase in refining capacity.
Congressman Latta spoke on the House floor in support of his bill, watch here.
