*Note: Date Change and Witness Additions

Focus on “effort to break Russia’s energy grip over Ukraine and other European countries”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that on Wednesday, March 26, he will convene a hearing to examine the geopolitical potential of U.S. energy resources.  The hearing, entitled “The Geopolitical Potential of the U.S. Energy Boom”, will begin at 10 a.m. ET.

Following the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, Chairman Royce has been a vocal proponent of the United States taking steps to increase energy exports to reduce Vladimir Putin’s strategic leverage.

Last week, the House overwhelmingly passed H. Res. 499, authored by Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel, which condemns the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty by Russian forces, endorses sanctions on Russia and calls on the U.S. to promote increased natural gas exports to reduce Putin’s leverage.  Also last week, Royce penned an op-ed in the Orange County Register calling for increased U.S. energy exports.

Chairman Royce on the hearing:  “Current U.S. policies that restrict energy exports weaken our diplomatic efforts. Exporting U.S. energy not only benefits our national security, it also boosts the U.S. economy and creates American jobs.  This hearing presents the Committee with an especially timely opportunity to examine how to better utilize U.S. natural resources in an effort to break Russia’s energy grip over Ukraine and other European countries, which undermines their security.”

What:

Hearing:  The Geopolitical Potential of the U.S. Energy Boom

When:

*10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 26

Where:

2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:

Admiral Dennis C. Blair, USN, Retired
Member
Energy Security Leadership Council
Securing America’s Future Energy

Mr. Harold Hamm
Chairman
Domestic Energy Producers Alliance

*Ms. Elizabeth Rosenberg
Senior Fellow and Director
Energy, Environment and Security Program
Center for a New American Security

*Dr. Michael Levi
David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow and Director
Program on Energy Security and Climate Change
Council on Foreign Relations

 

***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates. 

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

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