Chairman Guthrie Delivers Floor Remarks on Legislation to Protect Ratepayers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered remarks on the House floor regarding H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act . This legislation would codify President Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge and prevent American families from being forced to cover the costs of energy infrastructure upgrades to support data center development. Chairman Guthrie’s remarks on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, as prepared for delivery. “I rise in support of H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, sponsored by my colleague and friend from Colorado, Congressman Evans. “This bill encourages states to protect our neighbors and small businesses from footing the bill for infrastructure investments needed for the AI race, while protecting existing state authorities. "The evidence is clear – when states have the proper processes in place to protect households, interconnecting large load data centers have positive benefits for the communities in which they reside. “Data center growth can be a catalyst for investment in an aging grid, strengthen the tax base to fund essential public services, and anchor tenants for utilities that lower rates for everyone else. "Electricity demand is growing at a pace not seen since World War II, and communities are rightly concerned about what this might mean for their daily lives. “As this industry continues to develop—and I want to be absolutely clear that we need it to develop here at home and not in China—H.R. 9340 takes action on behalf of our constituents so that we can keep costs low while ensuring the U.S. leads in the next generation economy. "If we cede the race to AI dominance to China, then China will set the standards for future technology. This bill strikes the right balance of providing a modest but important level of accountability as we continue to support this vital industry. “I want to thank my friend from Colorado again for his tireless, bipartisan leadership on this issue. He is bringing together both sides of the aisle on a critical issue. “I urge my colleagues to support the legislation and reserve the balance of my time.” More information about the Ratepayer Protection Act can be found HERE .