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The Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials of the United States House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee (“Committee”) held a November 29th hearing titled:

America Leads the Way: Our History as the Global Leader at Reducing Emissions (“Hearing”)

The stated objective of the Hearing was to examine:

• United States experience/success in reducing emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases
• Expanding the benefits of affordable, secure energy domestically and around the world

A memorandum prepared by the Committee’s Majority Staff noted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statistics such as:

• Combined emissions of criteria air pollutants dropped by 78% over the past 50 years
• Such reductions occurred despite:
  • United States gross domestic product increased 304%
  • Vehicle miles traveled increased 183%
  • Population increased over 60%
  • Energy consumption increased 48%
• Number of days across 35 major United States cities in which air quality reaches levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups is approximately a quarter of the number reported in 2000
• Economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 were 17% below 2005 levels

The Majority Staff memorandum indicated that the following issues would be examined at the Hearing:

• The lessons of America’s economic, energy, and emissions-reducing experience.
• The benefits of American energy technology for energy access and prosperity.
• America’s history of expanding clean energy access domestically and abroad.

The Majority Staff memorandum can be found here.