A Republican congressman from Ohio is seeking to win the next battle over America’s energy supply before it starts. 

In legislation introduced this week, Rep. Troy Balderson, R-Ohio, is seeking to codify Trump administration efforts at providing Americans with abundant energy by defining the terms “affordable,” “reliable,” and “clean” as they relate to energy in federal law.

In short, his Affordable, Reliable, Clean Energy Security Act aims to keep safe and affordable energy sources, such as natural gas and nuclear power, available for American citizens and businesses alike.

“With my legislation, Congress can advance President Trump’s ‘all-of-the-above‘ energy agenda, powering the rollout of [artificial intelligence] and the next generation of American innovation. This bill delivers on Republicans’ promise to put American energy first and restore regulatory sanity to Washington,” the Ohio congressman told The Daily Signal.

Balderson’s bill also requires the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency to provide a report to Congress and the public about their policies and regulations “relating to affordable energy, reliable energy, and clean energy.” Those agencies would also provide reports to Congress and the public about the incorporation of the bill’s definitions of affordable, reliable, or clean energy into their work.

Such an effort would prevent a future presidential administration less sympathetic to Americans’ energy concerns from imposing arbitrary and burdensome restrictions on the energy supply.

The legislation comes after President Donald Trump has sought to undo some of the predecessor Biden administration’s energy policies, including by declaring a national energy emergency. Trump has promised to “bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again—right to the top—and export American energy all over the world.”

That declaration prompted fierce pushback, with some Senate Democrats seeking to overrule it with legislation of their own. That effort ultimately failed, as did California’s attempted freeze on the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars by 2035, which the Senate ultimately voted to block. The president has also sought to stop the harmful effects of wind turbines on ocean animals by canceling federal funding supportive of offshore wind turbines.

“The American people saw firsthand under the last administration how regulations could be weaponized to target certain groups and industries,” said Balderson, who chairs the House Energy Action Team and is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“President Biden’s entire energy platform was focused on shutting down American oil and gas while propping up the so-called green energy sector with taxpayer-funded subsidies after taxpayer-funded subsidies to support unrealistic pipe dreams,” he added.

In order to become law, Balderson’s bill would likely need to garner some bipartisan support in the Senate to clear the 60-vote threshold posed by a potential filibuster.

The post Ohio Lawmaker Offers Bill to Codify Trump’s Energy Policies appeared first on The Daily Signal.