Anyone familiar with domestic energy policy knows the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is critical to our nation. But it seems Joe Biden saw the acronym S-P-R and thought, “Strategic Political Reserve.”
The Louisiana- and Texas-based series of subterranean, artificial caverns were created by Congress in 1975 as a response to OPEC’s oil embargoes in 1973-74. The caverns have a capacity for up to 714 million barrels of oil, equivalent to just over a month’s worth of daily U.S. imports. Think of it as a “break glass only in emergency” option, except with oil.
As of this month, however, the SPR held only 362 million barrels, a decrease of an incredible 34% of the reserve’s totals from just a year ago. That’s 550 million fewer barrels for those keeping track. Why the precipitous drop? Politics.
To offset the disgust from the American public over record-high gas prices that threatened household budgets for travel, food, transportation, and leisure from the end of 2021 and through last summer, President Biden directed sales of 260 million barrels from the SPR. These draw-downs – designed to increase supply and lower prices – were hailed as sound economic policy by those on the Left, and a threat to national energy security by Biden’s critics.
On second thought, with his approval at a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-BIDEN/POLL/nmopagnqapa/">dismal 38% last summer</a>, perhaps Biden thought SPR stands for “Sneaky Poll Rescue?”
Much like the administration&#8217;s outright disasters at the southern border, in Afghanistan, or the decimation of domestic energy independence, the draw-down plan was anything but successful. Sure, gas prices dropped, but so did consumer confidence in the administration, especially after it was revealed that one million barrels of SPR were sold to China. With the U.S. heavily dependent on Chinese-dominated supply chains for everything from pharmaceuticals to defense technologies, it made little sense to rational Americans to weaken our oil reserves while meeting Communist China&#8217;s energy needs.
Facing intense scrutiny, the Energy Department then announced that it would begin refilling the SPR once prices stabilized in the $65-72 per barrel range. It’s worth noting that president Trump proposed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-could-refill-strategic-oil-reserve-at-80-per-barrel-democrats-blocked-trump-when-oil-was-24">refilling the SPR</a> back when oil was $24 per barrel, but the Democrats blocked it.
To date, none of the promised repurchases have taken place, thanks to the continued bungling of the administration. This week, however, Biden’s Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/us-department-energy-announces-purchases-strategic-petroleum-reserve#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20The%20Department%20of%20Energy%20(DOE,the%20Big%20Hill%20SPR%20site.">announced the department</a> would try again. In a statement they said they plan to “repurchase up to three million barrels of crude at a lower price than the over $94 per barrel price it was sold for in 2022, while strengthening energy security by providing certainty to the industry in a way that helps encourage near-term supply.”
Only a Biden apologist would find their stance truthful or convincing. Record-high prices brought about by Biden’s eco-driven energy policies now bring a higher cost to the U.S. as it seeks to refill the Reserve. The refill cost in 2023 will be nearly triple that of the historical average cost to fill the SPR and over two times higher than the <a href="https://www.energy.gov/ceser/spr-quick-facts">average price per barrel</a> ($29.70).
Assuming the administration can find sellers willing to sell oil, and the repurchasing process goes smoothly, it will still only replenish less than 2% of what it drew down. At this rate, we may have to wait for the inauguration of the 58th President before we finish the job Joe Biden started.
It is another perfect example of the long-term damage Team Biden has inflicted on America. He was only supposed to break the glass in case of emergency, but instead Joe Biden has broken so much more.
Rick Whitbeck is the Alaska State Director for Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs and opportunities. Contact him at Rick@PowerTheFuture.com and follow him on Twitter @PTFAlaska.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Rise in gasoline prices concept with double exposure of digital screen with financial chart graphs and oil pumps on a field.

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Isn’t Joe Biden’s Political Reservoir

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Isn’t Joe Biden's Political Reservoir

Biden Administration

Communist China

Department of Energy

Energy

Oil and Gas

Readers Pass

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy</a> Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Granholm</a> announced new efficiency regulations for dishwashers, beverage vending machines, and electric motors on Friday, the latest of several actions from the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration?_gl=1*1rmv9a1*_ga*NzUzNDA5ODIxLjE2NzkzMjkzNzM.*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTY4MzU1NDE3Mi4xOTAuMS4xNjgzNTU0NTY0LjU3LjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> to decrease power usage and combat <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a>.
An <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-efficiency-rules-save-americans-more-650-million-annual-energy-and-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> contended that the restrictions would decrease expenses for American consumers due to lowered energy consumption. Granholm said the administration is “using all of the tools at our disposal to save Americans money while promoting innovations that will reduce carbon pollution and combat the climate crisis.”
New dishwashers imported into the United States beginning in 2027 would have to consume 27% less power and use 34% less water, while more compact models would need to implement a 22% power reduction and an 11% water use reduction, according to an <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/water-wasting-dishwashers-in-crosshairs-as-biden-eyes-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> of the proposal released by Bloomberg Law. Energy Department officials estimate that consumers would have to spend $15 more for a new dishwasher but would witness three times as much in energy savings over the appliance&#8217;s lifetime.
The new dishwasher standards would save households $168 million each year on utility bills, according to an estimate from the Energy Department. The regulations for electric motors, which convert electrical energy into mechanical energy in manufacturing and process equipment, will save businesses $464 million annually, while the vending machine rules will save $20 million annually.
The Energy Department has now introduced efficiency crackdowns for 16 product categories in 2023, actions which agency officials contend are “preserving reliability and performance across household appliances and commercial and industrial equipment.” The Biden administration, which has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions, drafted several similar regulations over the past two years.
Officials provoked controversy upon introducing new emissions rules for natural gas stoves, even as increased adoption of the fuel serves as a significant driver of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wall-street-journal-blasts-joe-biden-john-kerry-for-pushing-self-destructive-green-energy-policies-while-china-burns-more-coal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower</a> emissions in the United States. Controversy over the move emerged earlier this year when Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said in an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transparently-political-biden-administration-considering-ban-on-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that gas stoves are a “hidden hazard” and declared that “any option is on the table” for a nationwide ban. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric later posted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> asserting that neither he nor the agency planned to outlaw gas stoves.
The state of New York has since <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-governor-proposes-first-in-the-nation-ban-on-gas-hookups-for-new-buildings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> legislation that will effectively ban the installation of gas stoves in new homes and buildings as early as 2026. Some 38% of households nationwide use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration.
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The Energy Department also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-unveils-new-restrictions-on-air-conditioners-despite-backlash-over-gas-stove-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> new efficiency standards for air conditioners and the first federal standards for portable air cleaners. Officials similarly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/climate-alarmists-senator-tim-scott-blasts-energy-department-over-new-power-standards-for-certain-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a final rule that requires single-section and multi-section mobile homes to meet new climate-dependent energy conservation measures, which are estimated to raise the cost of large mobile homes between $4,100 and $4,500, marking a significant increase from the $81,400 average costs for newly manufactured mobile homes, according to <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SPSNSAUS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Census Bureau.

Jennifer Granholm

Biden Energy Department Starts Crackdown On Dishwashers

Biden Energy Department Unveils Crackdown On Dishwashers

Climate Change

Politics

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy</a> Secretary <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Granholm</a> voiced support on Wednesday for transitioning the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military</a> to exclusively rely upon <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/electric-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">electric vehicles</a> before 2030.
Granholm affirmed her faith in the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> proposal in a <a href="https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-receive-testimony-on-the-department-of-energy-and-national-nuclear-security-administration-atomic-energy-defense-activities-in-review-of-the-defense-authorization-request-for-fiscal-year-2024-and-the-future-years-defense-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a> for the Senate Armed Services Committee in which Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) pressed her on whether the policy would hinder the lethality of the military. She insisted that electrification would decrease vulnerability to worldwide turbulence in the fossil fuel sector.
“I do think that reducing our reliance on the volatility of globally traded fossil fuels, where we know that global events such as the war in Ukraine can jack up prices for people back home does not contribute to energy security,” she commented. “I think energy security is achieved when we have home-grown, clean energy that is abundant.”
White House officials have indeed suggested an increase in electric vehicle reliance over the past two years as part of a broader renewable energy adoption in the federal government. President Joe Biden vowed in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/04/22/remarks-by-president-biden-on-earth-day-and-at-signing-of-an-executive-order-strengthening-the-nations-forests-communities-and-local-economies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speech</a> last year that his administration would “start the process where every vehicle in the United States military” would become “climate friendly.”
“You know, in my view, this crisis, as I said, is a genuine opportunity,” he added. “An opportunity to do things we wanted to do, and only now it’s become so apparent.”
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks likewise <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2838082/deputy-secretary-of-defense-dr-kathleen-hicks-remarks-at-wayne-state-university/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asserted</a> two years ago that creating a “zero emissions non-tactical vehicle fleet” and optimizing “energy use in our tactical vehicles” is a necessary part of the military’s climate mission. “Tactical vehicle electrification, initially through hybrid electric technology, has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it should also provide significant operational capability,” she claimed. “Electric vehicles are quiet. They have a low heat signature, and incredible torque, and because they tend to be low maintenance with fewer moving parts. They have the potential to reduce logistics requirements, all with these attributes can help give our troops an edge on the battlefield.”
Electric vehicles nevertheless require charging infrastructure and are currently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/only-20-of-americans-very-likely-to-buy-electric-for-their-next-car-even-as-some-states-want-100-adoption" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seen</a> by some as less reliable than internal combustion vehicles. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) introduced a <a href="https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-introduces-bill-to-electrify-military-vehicle-fleet-cut-carbon-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> last year to require at least 75% of the 174,000 non-tactical vehicles used by the Defense Department to be electric or zero emission since most of the government’s annual emissions come from the agency. The bill, however, did not suggest electrifying tactical vehicles.
Senior officials in the Biden administration have pursued similar objectives in other federal agencies such as the Postal Service, which will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/postal-service-buys-nearly-10000-electric-vehicles-as-biden-pushes-for-electrified-federal-fleet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquire</a> 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028. The administration has established the overall goal of procuring only zero emission light-duty vehicles for the federal fleet by 2027 and will <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/09/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-proposes-new-standards-for-national-electric-vehicle-charging-network/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extend</a> the standard to all federal vehicles by 2035.
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The Biden administration, which has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and incentivize renewables, has also introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/climate-alarmists-senator-tim-scott-blasts-energy-department-over-new-power-standards-for-certain-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for gas stoves, air conditioners, and mobile homes.
The EPA most recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-unveils-proposal-for-landmark-nationwide-crackdown-on-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> vehicle emissions standards that would aim to increase adoption of electric cars, effectively inducing a 56% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions for light-duty vehicles, as well as a 44% decrease for medium-duty vehicles. The regulations would attempt to change market conditions such that electric vehicles constitute the majority of new sales for light-duty vehicles and nearly half of new sales for medium-duty vehicles by 2032.

Energy Secretary Granholm Supports Making The Military All-Electric By 2030

Energy Secretary Granholm Supports Completely Electrifying The Military By 2030

electric vehicles

Executive

Military

Federal employees funded by a government “equity” office claim in a new study that black doctors are so crucial that having one merely exist in a county is enough to raise the life expectancy of blacks in that entire county.
The <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2803898" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> was published Friday on the website of JAMA, of the Journal of the American Medical Association, one of the nation’s most prestigious medical journals. It was authored by officials with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services, with funding from HRSA&#8217;s Office of Health Equity, &#8220;administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the US Department of Energy and HRSA.&#8221;
The premise of the study is that there should be more black doctors because in counties where more doctors are black, the average black person lives an extra 30 days—even though there is no evidence that most black residents were ever even treated by the doctor.
The medical journal uses the language of critical race theory and argues that “race is a social construct” and that “racial differences frequently observed in population health outcomes studies are generally considered to result from fixable health system factors, such as differences in the availability and quality of care.” Other studies, by contrast, have found massive differences in individual characteristics that impact lifespans, with the vast majority of black women being overweight, for example.
“Race as a study variable, in and of itself, is not considered a biological determinant of health outcomes; rather, it is a social construct that serves as a proxy measure for the structural inequities inherent in our society, and specifically in the health system,” it said.
The study appears to argue for segregation, which it calls “physician-patient race concordance.”
“Some Black patients may prefer to seek care from racially concordant physicians due in part to the value placed on certain shared aspects of culture and experience,” it said.
The suggestion that black doctors are preferable to others and can measurably extend average lifespans in an entire county is in contrast to objective scientific literature on their qualifications. Black applicants to medical schools have the lowest MCAT scores and the lowest GPAs of any group. A 2022 study found that black doctors had the <a href="https://journals.stfm.org/familymedicine/2022/march/wang-2021-0344/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lowest scores on exams</a> given to family medicine residents.
Despite the methodological weaknesses and tiny change in life expectancy of the study, a science news outlet covered it breathlessly, writing &#8220;The new study found that Black residents in counties with more Black physicians — whether or not they actually see those doctors — had lower mortality from all causes, and showed that these counties had lower disparities in mortality rates between Black and white residents. The finding of longer life expectancy persisted even in counties with a single Black physician.&#8221;
“That a single Black physician in a county can have an impact on an entire population’s mortality, it’s stunningly overwhelming,” <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2023/04/14/black-doctors-primary-care-life-expectancy-mortality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">STAT News</a> quoted Monica Peek, a &#8220;primary care physician and health equity researcher at UChicago Medicine,&#8221; as saying.
Michael Dill, the director of workforce studies at the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), was also a co-author, and was clear that the study aims to advocate for more affirmative action.  “This is adding to the case for a more diverse physician workforce,” he said. “What else could you ask for?”
The lead author, John Snyder, said of polices that pass more blacks through medical school, regardless of performance: “Arguably we’ve found a path forward for closing those disparities.”
The AAMC’s own data shows that affirmative action in medical schools is rampant and results in people becoming doctors who otherwise never would have been permitted to because of their scores: A black doctor with a modest MCAT score of 27-29 had an 81% chance of being <a href="https://www.aamc.org/media/6066/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> to medical school, while an Asian with the same score had only a 20% chance and a white a 29% chance.
The federal officials and medical college official seem to be using the study to establish benefits of diversity out of fear that the Supreme Court could bar affirmative action in academic admissions.
On Twitter, the STAT News author, <a href="https://twitter.com/ushamcfarling/status/1646896521802305537" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Usha Lee McFarling</a>, who says she is a Pulitzer winner, said that &#8220;this study shows benefit merely from the presence of Black docs. Why? One thought is counties where Black doctors practice may in general be more supportive of Black lives.&#8221;
She said that could be because black doctors are willing to &#8220;politically advocate for health.&#8221;
She complained that &#8220;Black doctors continue to be pushed out of training, especially in elite specialties, before they finish, removing them from the workforce and the fields they once dreamed of entering,&#8221; referring to trainees being flunked by their supervisors because they could pose a threat to the safety of future patients.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/atomic-bomb-lab-studying-ways-to-combat-misinformation-including-covid-lab-leak-theory">Atomic Bomb Lab Studying Ways To ‘Combat’ ‘Misinformation’ Including COVID Lab-Leak Theory</a>

denver nuggets

Federal Officials Claim Black Doctors Are So Good That Blacks Live Longer Just By Living In The Same County As One

Anti-Racism

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Health

Supreme Court

Vice President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> unveiled new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/solar-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solar</a> power investments in the district of Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marjorie-taylor-greene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> (R-GA) shortly after Greene traveled to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York City</a> for a protest against the arraignment of former President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>.
Harris touted efforts from the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> to increase spending on renewable <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> initiatives in <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/04/06/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-on-investing-in-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remarks</a> delivered Thursday at a Qcells manufacturing facility in Dalton, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/georgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Georgia</a>. She contended that residents of the small city are benefiting from the administration’s policies.
“President Joe Biden and I know this is just the beginning. Dalton, we see what you have accomplished, and we see the path that you’ve laid,” she commented. “Since taking office, our administration has made the largest investment in solar energy in our nation’s history. We’ve strengthened domestic supply chains to make sure America has reliable access to parts and material to build a clean energy technology and economy. We provided tax credits to encourage companies to buy solar panels made in America. And we invested billions more to build and expand factories like this one.”
Greene responded to the visit from Harris by citing a <a href="https://www.georgia.org/press-release/qcells-more-double-production-georgia-create-2500-new-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> which indicated that state and local officials, rather than Biden administration officials, were responsible for negotiating with Qcells and attracting a recent $2.5 billion solar module fabrication initiative to Dalton. She also shared images of constituents peacefully protesting against Harris, noting the difference between them and the far-Left demonstrators that forced her to flee the rally in New York City.
“This is what protesters in my district in Northwest Georgia look like when they are protesting Kamala Harris coming to town, trying to take credit for jobs that President Trump and Governor Kemp created in Georgia back in 2019,” she <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1644046569203724291" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on social media. “Versus the Antifa style protesting mob of perverts, groomers, pedophiles, and baby killers.”
The Biden administration has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate green energy expansion in the United States. Beyond the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, both of which earmarked substantial funds for climate initiatives, federal regulators under the administration have introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-unveils-new-restrictions-on-air-conditioners-despite-backlash-over-gas-stove-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for household appliances such as gas stoves and refrigerators.
The visit from Harris came days after the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-pushes-clean-power-in-americas-coal-towns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that the Energy Department would create incentives for companies to develop renewable power infrastructure in current and former coal communities. Developers have indeed transitioned away from coal production: nearly one-quarter of the nation’s coal power capacity is slated to be retired within the next decade even as nations such as China and India rapidly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-full-steam-ahead-with-new-coal-plants-as-the-west-goes-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expand</a> their reliance on fossil fuels and increase their emissions to combat elevated power costs.
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“President Biden came to the White House to end years of big words but little action to help energy-producing parts of the country, who for decades saw jobs exported out and products imported in, all while other countries surpassed the United States in critical sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, and semiconductors,” the White House said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/04/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-clean-energy-projects-to-revitalize-energy-communities-support-coal-workers-and-reduce-reliance-on-competitors-like-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fact sheet</a>. “The actions announced today will drive new investments in energy communities to support their economic revitalization, strengthen American supply chains, and help ensure coal, oil, and gas workers benefit from the new clean energy economy.”

Collage Maker-07-Apr-2023-11-50-AM-464

Kamala Harris Visits Solar Project In Marjorie Taylor Greene’s District

Kamala Harris Visits Solar Project In Marjorie Taylor Greene's District

Environment

Georgia

Kamala Harris

Marjorie Taylor Greene

New York City

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tim-scott" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim Scott</a> (R-SC) condemned the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> for implementing <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> efficiency standards for mobile homes in a rule that will increase <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">costs</a> for low-income households.
Officials from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy Department</a> adopted a new <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/31/2022-10926/energy-conservation-program-energy-conservation-standards-for-manufactured-housing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final rule</a> last year that requires single-section and multi-section mobile homes to meet new climate-dependent energy conservation measures. The new standards are estimated to raise the cost of large mobile homes between $4,100 and $4,500, marking a significant increase from the $81,400 average costs for newly manufactured mobile homes, according to <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SPSNSAUS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Census Bureau.
Scott, the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, wrote in a <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/scott_letter_to_granholm1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm that the new policy will continue to “raise costs for families” seeking affordable homeownership opportunities in a constrained housing market. He added that the standards are “overly broad, unduly burdensome, and undermine commonsense efforts to increase supply and assist families looking for affordable housing opportunities” even as they ask consumers to “bear the costs imposed by climate alarmists.”
Energy Department officials have meanwhile asserted that the final rule will save mobile home residents over time as they pay less for power. The standards call for more stringent duct and air sealing, insulation, and hot water system specifications.
“Manufactured housing is truly one of the best opportunities for helping families realize the dream of homeownership, accounting for roughly six percent of housing stock and being the largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing in the country,” Scott continued. “I ask that you immediately delay implementation of this rule to provide hard-working families relief from this costly and misguided regulation.”
The Biden administration, which has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and incentivize green energy production, drafted a number of similar regulations over the past two years. Officials have introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-unveils-new-restrictions-on-air-conditioners-despite-backlash-over-gas-stove-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for household appliances such as gas stoves; Granholm nevertheless <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/energy-secretary-granholm-admits-she-has-a-gas-stove-while-justifying-push-to-regulate-appliances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> that she personally owns one of the popular appliances.
Controversy over the potential regulations on gas stoves emerged earlier this year when Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said in an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transparently-political-biden-administration-considering-ban-on-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that the products constitute a “hidden hazard” and declared that “any option is on the table” for a nationwide prohibition. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric later posted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> asserting that neither he nor the agency planned to outlaw gas stoves.
The new standards for mobile homes come after residential real estate prices increased substantially in the years following the lockdown-induced recession, which caused supply chain bottlenecks and labor shortages that increased the cost of properties. Home sale prices increased from $322,600 in the second quarter of 2020 to $467,700 in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Elevated mortgage rates induced by actions from the Federal Reserve to combat inflation, on the other hand, recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/home-prices-fell-year-over-year-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade-but-theres-a-massive-catch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caused</a> the first year-over-year decline in median home prices in more than a decade even as properties become less affordable. Apartment rental markets are meanwhile seeing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-typical-apartment-is-getting-smaller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decreases</a> in typical unit sizes, indicating pressure from the cost constraints and a reversal from the desire for larger properties that corresponded with lockdowns as households spent more time in their homes and breadwinners relied more on remote work.

Tim Scott

‘Climate Alarmists’: Senator Tim Scott Blasts Energy Department Over New Power Standards For Certain Homes

Senator Tim Scott Blasts Energy Department Over New Power Standards For Certain Homes

Inflation

U.S.

The <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> announced on Tuesday that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy Department</a> and other agencies would create incentives for companies to develop renewable <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">power</a> infrastructure in coal communities.
Investment and production tax credits established through the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inflation-reduction-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, and significant bonuses offered by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/treasury-department" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Treasury Department</a> and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/internal-revenue-service-irs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IRS</a>, will encourage firms to locate new clean power initiatives in “energy communities, particularly coal communities.” Biden administration officials have frequently advocated for a transition away from fossil fuels but have claimed that their emphasis on clean energy will replace lost jobs in the sector.
“President Biden came to the White House to end years of big words but little action to help energy-producing parts of the country, who for decades saw jobs exported out and products imported in, all while other countries surpassed the United States in critical sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, and semiconductors,” the White House said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/04/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-clean-energy-projects-to-revitalize-energy-communities-support-coal-workers-and-reduce-reliance-on-competitors-like-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fact sheet</a>. “The actions announced today will drive new investments in energy communities to support their economic revitalization, strengthen American supply chains, and help ensure coal, oil, and gas workers benefit from the new clean energy economy.”
The Energy Department will allocate $450 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to support “clean energy demonstration projects” on current and former mine land in coal communities. Another $16 million will finance research at the University of North Dakota and West Virginia University to create a refinery that could “extract and separate rare earth elements and other critical minerals from coal ash, acid mine drainage, and other mine waste.”
Developers in the United States have transitioned away from coal production: nearly one-quarter of the nation’s coal power capacity is slated to be retired by 2029, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54559#:~:text=As%20of%20September%202022%2C%20developers,fired%20capacity%20in%20the%20future." target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration, while companies have not reported any plans to construct new coal facilities as of September 2022. The decreased emphasis on coal production and broader move toward green energy comes even as nations such as China and India rapidly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-full-steam-ahead-with-new-coal-plants-as-the-west-goes-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expand</a> their reliance on fossil fuels and increase their emissions.
Critics say that actions from the White House to discourage fossil fuel production will reduce the supply of affordable energy and stifle the economy by destroying employment opportunities. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on the first day of his administration revoking a key permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline; Fox News reporter Peter Doocy subsequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peter-doocy-blasts-jen-psaki-when-do-union-workers-get-their-green-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on where the thousands of dismissed employees from the project could find their new positions.
“President Biden has proposed a climate plan with transformative investments and infrastructure,” Psaki said at the time, “and laid out a plan that would not only create millions of good union jobs but also help tackle the climate crisis.”
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The White House has meanwhile <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and incentivize green energy production. Beyond the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, both of which earmarked substantial funds for climate initiatives, regulators have introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-unveils-new-restrictions-on-air-conditioners-despite-backlash-over-gas-stove-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for household appliances such as gas stoves and refrigerators. Federal officials also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-epa-gives-california-special-authority-to-phase-out-heavy-duty-gas-trucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">granted</a> the state of California authority to phase out heavy duty trucks powered by gasoline over the next two decades in favor of electric vehicles.

President Biden in Durham

White House Pushes Clean Power In America’s Coal Towns

Biden Pushes Clean Power In America's Coal Towns

Inflation Reduction Act

Infrastructure

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy</a> Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Granholm</a> unveiled new <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate</a> and efficiency restrictions on air conditioners despite widespread criticism the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> received after officials recently announced restrictions on gas stoves.
The new energy efficiency standards, which will apply to room air conditioners and portable air cleaners, will enter into effect next year. The Energy Department contended that the new rules will assist with “tackling the climate crisis,” as well as save consumers $25 billion over the next three decades. Room air conditioners are more commonly called window air conditioners.
“Today’s announcement builds on the historic actions President Biden took last year to strengthen outdated energy efficiency standards, which will help save on people’s energy bills and reduce our nation’s carbon footprint,” Granholm said in a <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-finalizes-efficiency-rules-room-air-conditioners-and-portable-air-cleaners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. She added that the Energy Department will “continue to engage with our public and private sector partners to finalize additional proposals like today’s that lower household energy costs and deliver the safer, healthier communities that every American deserves.”
The rules are the first federal standards for portable air cleaners. The Energy Department asserted that the regulations mark a consensus among “manufacturers, the manufacturing trade association, efficiency advocates, consumer advocacy groups, states, and utilities.”
The policies come weeks after multiple senior officials in the Biden administration repeatedly backtracked on new energy efficiency standards for gas stoves amid mounting criticism. Controversy over the potential regulations emerged earlier this year when Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said in an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transparently-political-biden-administration-considering-ban-on-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that gas stoves are a “hidden hazard” and declared that “any option is on the table” for a nationwide ban. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric later posted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> asserting that neither he nor the agency planned to outlaw gas stoves.
The Energy Department then <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nearly-50-of-gas-stoves-could-be-removed-from-market-under-potential-new-energy-standard-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> forthcoming efficiency standards which would impact approximately “half of the total gas cooking top market.” Proposed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regulations</a> would introduce a new “maximum integrated annual energy consumption” standard for gas stoves, marking a change from previous regulations that prohibited constant burning pilot lights in gas stoves, but placed no limits on energy consumption. Officials noted that “products achieving these standard levels are already commercially available for all product classes covered by this proposal” and cited “important and robust” climate benefits in documents justifying the new rules.
Some 38% of households in the United States use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration. Those who use gas stoves often cite the easier temperature control offered by the appliances relative to electric alternatives.
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Granholm <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/energy-secretary-granholm-admits-she-has-a-gas-stove-while-justifying-push-to-regulate-appliances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended</a> the consideration of new efficiency standards for gas stoves during remarks this week before the House Appropriations Committee. “This does not impact the majority, and it certainly does not say that anybody who has a gas stove would have their gas stove taken away,” she told lawmakers. “There’s no ban on gas stoves. I have a gas stove. It is just about making the existing electric and gas stoves, and all the other appliances, more efficient.”

Joe Biden

Biden Administration Unveils New Restrictions On Air Conditioners Despite Backlash Over Gas Stove Restrictions

Biden Administration Unveils New Restrictions On Air Conditioners

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy</a> Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Granholm</a> admitted that she owns a <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gas</a> stove on Thursday while she denied that the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> is seeking to prohibit the popular appliances.
A recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nearly-50-of-gas-stoves-could-be-removed-from-market-under-potential-new-energy-standard-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> from the Energy Department indicated that roughly “half of the total gas cooking top market” would be impacted by forthcoming efficiency standards. Granholm said in response to questions from Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) about the policy that there has been “an awful lot of misinformation” about the agency’s intentions.
“This does not impact the majority, and it certainly does not say that anybody who has a gas stove would have their gas stove taken away,” she <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ghbIHClYdY&amp;t=3s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Newhouse and other members of the House Appropriations Committee. “There&#8217;s no ban on gas stoves. I have a gas stove. It is just about making the existing electric and gas stoves, and all the other appliances, more efficient.”
Granholm also clarified that a recent Energy Department study in which 96% of gas stoves failed to meet compliance levels was an inaccurate representation of how many stoves could truly be impacted by the regulation since researchers tested outcomes for appliances expected to fall short of the standards. &#8220;The full range of gas stoves absolutely is not affected,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;Half of the gas stoves that are on the market right now wouldn&#8217;t even be impacted.&#8221;
The proposed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regulations</a> would subject gas stoves to a new “maximum integrated annual energy consumption” standard under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The rules, for which the Energy Department is accepting public comment until early April, would mark a change from previous regulations that prohibited constant burning pilot lights in gas stoves but placed no limits on energy consumption. Officials noted that “products achieving these standard levels are already commercially available for all product classes covered by this proposal” and cited “important and robust” climate benefits in documents justifying the new rules.
Some 38% of households in the United States use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration. Those who use gas stoves often cite the easier temperature control offered by the appliances relative to electric alternatives.
Households which utilize natural gas typically see lower energy expenses than those which utilize electricity: the former power source costs $12.09 per British thermal unit, according to more <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/03/07/2022-04765/energy-conservation-program-for-consumer-products-representative-average-unit-costs-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Department, while the latter costs $41.79 per British thermal unit.
Controversy over the potential regulations on gas stoves emerged earlier this year when Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said in an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transparently-political-biden-administration-considering-ban-on-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that gas stoves constitute a “hidden hazard” and declared that “any option is on the table” for a nationwide prohibition. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric later posted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> asserting that neither he nor the agency planned to outlaw gas stoves.
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The attention toward the appliances from the Biden administration follows a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/booker_beyer_lead_colleagues_in_urging_cpsc_to_address_dangerous_indoor_air_pollutions_emitted_by_gas_stoves.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> written by lawmakers such as Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that expressed concern over the “risks posed to consumers” by air pollution, especially among individuals who reside in low-income, African-American, or Hispanic households.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Holds Daily White House Briefing

Energy Secretary Granholm Admits She Has A Gas Stove While Justifying Push To Regulate Appliances

Energy Secretary Granholm Admits She Has A Gas Stove Amid Discussions Of Ban

Energy Department Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Granholm</a> gushed about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China</a>’s approach to green energy in a Friday interview, saying she hoped that the U.S. could learn from China’s approach. 
Granholm made the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/energy-secretary-granholm-claims-us-learn-china-climate-change">comments</a> at the SXSW conference in Austin, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a>, during an interview with Wajahat Ali where she discussed her desire to push the U.S. toward &#8220;net zero by 2050&#8221; and remarked that China’s investments in green energy were “encouraging.”
Ali introduced the topic by saying that there should be “accountability” for countries like America and China for the &#8220;damage to the world&#8221; he said they had wrought. 
&#8220;How do we hold China and ourselves accountable for what we are doing around the world?&#8221; Ali asked Granholm. 
She noted how the U.S. was pushing countries around the world to adopt “aggressive” climate policies “to make sure that we don’t get climate — global warming happening over, you know, 1.5 degrees.”
Granholm said that some countries were ambivalent towards green energy efforts but that China had been investing heavily in green energy. “But, I think China has done — has been very sensitive, and has actually invested a lot in their solutions, to achieve their goals,” she said. 
&#8220;So we’re — we’re hopeful that, you know, we can all learn from what China is doing,” she explained. &#8220;The amount of money that they’re investing in clean energy is actually, you know, encouraging.&#8221;
Critics have accused the Biden administration of being “gullible” in their efforts to work with China on green energy. 
&#8220;I find [it] utterly remarkable that Chairman Xi [Jinping] of China and the Chinese Communist Party gives a tinker&#8217;s damn about the planet&#8217;s climate or climate change,&#8221; Texas Public Policy officer Frank DeVore <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/does-chinas-purported-green-energy-push-signal-coming-conflict-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Fox News</a> last month. &#8220;It is merely a device to engage gullible Westerners into thinking that somehow we can get meaningful cooperation.&#8221;
Under Biden, policymakers in the U.S. have continued to focus on making a <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change">renewable energy</a> transition despite the geopolitical and economic risks that emerge from a lack of reliable and cheap <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy">power</a> sources.
While the U.S. has pushed to limit energy from coal and gas, China has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-full-steam-ahead-with-new-coal-plants-as-the-west-goes-green">approved</a> coal-fired power plant construction initiatives at six times the rate of every other nation combined, while Europe has reluctantly restarted operations at mothballed coal-fired plants amid the loss of fuel imports from Russia.

Featured Session: Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm – 2023 SXSW Conference and Festivals

Biden’s Energy Secretary Praises China’s Approach To Green Energy, Hopes To Learn From Communist Country

China

Texas

Late-night host Stephen Colbert mocked the claim from the Department of Energy that a lab leak in China was likely responsible for the origin of the COVID pandemic.
The Department of Energy joined the FBI, which had <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/us/politics/china-lab-leak-coronavirus-pandemic.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> with moderate confidence that COVID started accidentally from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
“The Department of Energy released a new report saying a lab leak is the most likely origin of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Colbert noted. “Well, there it is. Chinese wet markets, you’re off the hook. Let’s order a round of pangolin poppers for the table. I love a nice plate of wet apps.”
“Now, if like me, you’re wondering why the Department of Energy is the one making this judgment, it’s because that agency “oversees a network of U.S. national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research,” Colbert said, quoting <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-origin-china-lab-leak-807b7b0a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>, neglecting to add that the Journal prefaced that comment by writing that the Department “has considerable scientific expertise.”
“No! No! Bad Energy Department. No bio-labs until you finish building your electric car-charging stations. Stay in your lane,” Colbert snapped.
Colbert noted that four other federal agencies concluded that the pandemic was likely the result of natural transmission, then carped, “We’ll have more on this story as soon as anyone has anything they can prove.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Steve Colbert (<a href="https://twitter.com/StephenAtHome?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StephenAtHome</a>) attacks the Dept. of Energy for its investigation finding Covid likely came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology: &quot;Stay in your lane&quot; <a href="https://t.co/s50uYLZM3k">pic.twitter.com/s50uYLZM3k</a>
&mdash; Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1630535593934352384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In September 2021, Colbert tried to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSfejgwbDQ8">shoot down</a> Jon Stewart’s suggestion that the virus originated in Wuhan.
“Do you mean perhaps there’s a chance that this was created in a lab? There’s an investigation — “ Colbert asked.
“A chance?” Stewart mocked. “Oh my God.”
“If there’s evidence I’d love to hear,” Colbert told him.
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“There’s a novel respiratory coronavirus overtaking Wuhan, China. What do we do?” Stewart fired back. “Oh, you know who we could ask? The Wuhan Novel Respiratory Coronavirus Lab. The disease is the same name as the lab. That’s just a little too weird, don’t you think? And then the actual scientists are like, ‘How did this?’ So wait a minute, you work at the Wuhan Respiratory Coronavirus Lab. How did this happen? And they’re like, ‘A pangolin kissed a turtle?’”
“Oh, my God, there’s been an outbreak of chocolatey goodness near Hershey, Pennsylvania. What do you think happened?” Stewart continued. “Like, ‘Oh, I don’t know, maybe a steam shovel mated with a cocoa bean?’ Or it’s the f***ing chocolate factory!”
“It could be possible, you could be right,” Colbert said, before trying to rebut Stewart by saying, “It could be possible they have the lab in Wuhan to study the novel coronavirus diseases because in Wuhan there are a lot of novel coronavirus diseases because of the bat population.”
“I understand, it’s the local specialty,” Stewart replied. “And it’s the only place to find bats. You won’t find bats anywhere else. Oh, wait. Austin, Texas has thousands of ‘em that fly out of a cave every night. Every night at dusk. Is there a coronavirus, an Austin coronavirus?”
“And how long have you worked for Senator Ron Johnson,” Colbert tried lamely, referring to Johnson’s <a href="applewebdata://68E8BFB4-6349-4387-92AD-C27A397B4130/v">attempts</a> to obtain information about a possible connection between the Wuhan lab and the coronavirus.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Colbert Mocks Energy Department Saying Chinese Lab Leak Likely Started COVID

COVID-19

Jon Stewart

Stephen Colbert

Wuhan Institute of Virology

This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Biden Admin Could Ban 50% Of Gas Stoves
A pending new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nearly-50-of-gas-stoves-could-be-removed-from-market-under-potential-new-energy-standard-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“energy efficiency rule</a>” from the Department of Energy could ban nearly 50% of current gas stoves on the market if it is enacted, according to the Biden administration’s own analysis. The announcement comes after months of speculation that government officials were seeking to “ban” the household cooking appliance.
The rule is also separate from a potential Consumer Product and Safety Commission rule that could further burden the gas stove industry. Here’s what CPSC commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said back in December:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
REMINDER: Biden Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka, Jr. calls a ban on gas stoves &quot;a powerful tool in our toolbox&quot; and &quot;a real possibility&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hwts8wu6cR">pic.twitter.com/hwts8wu6cR</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1629639345064878080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 Commerce Department Involving Itself In Child Care Plan
The Commerce Department is set to announce a plan that leverages the federal government’s expansive investment in the semiconductor industry to promote affordable child care.
According to a New York Times report, any semiconductor manufacturer seeking a portion of nearly $40 billion in new federal subsidies will need to essentially guarantee affordable, high-quality child care for workers who build or operate a plant. Last year, a bipartisan group of lawmakers passed the CHIPS Act, which devoted billions in subsidies to the industry, in hopes of making the nation less reliant on foreign suppliers.
DeSantis Signs Bill Ending Disney&#8217;s Special Privileges 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-signs-bill-giving-florida-control-over-disneys-self-governance-district" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> a bill into law Monday that ends Disney’s self-governing power and puts the media giant under the control of a state board. The law renames Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and allows only term-limited members who have no recent connections to Disney. The Republican governor described the Reedy Creek situation as a bad deal all around.
Extreme Weather Hits Nation
Parts of the Southern Plains counted the injured and surveyed the damage Monday after tornadoes swept through the area, while some Michigan residents faced a fifth day without power following last week’s ice storm. Meanwhile, in California, the National Weather Service said a series of winter storm systems will continue moving into the state through Wednesday.
 CPAC Starts Wednesday
CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, is set to start this Wednesday just outside of Washington, D.C. Many see it as the first major step in the 2024 GOP primary campaign. Announced candidates, such as ex-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump, are scheduled to speak at the annual conference.
Michigan Dem Announces Senate Campaign
Democratic Congresswoman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-announces-run-for-retiring-sen-debbie-stabenows-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elissa Slotkin</a> of Michigan announced Monday that she would be throwing her hat into the 2024 Senate race. The state’s Democratic primary is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive, as candidates vie for outgoing Senator Debbie Stabenow’s seat. Slotkin called for a new generation of leaders in her new ad:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, I’m announcing my run to be Michigan’s next U.S. Senator.
We need a new generation of leaders that thinks differently, works harder, and never forgets that we are *public servants* <a href="https://t.co/L8cLgEUwnA">pic.twitter.com/L8cLgEUwnA</a>
&mdash; Elissa Slotkin (@ElissaSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElissaSlotkin/status/1630191500188348420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Mexican Protests
Tens of thousands of Mexicans have taken to the streets to protest the country’s new “election reform” laws, which critics say weaken electoral integrity. The new law, once enacted, cuts funding for election offices and for the training of polling station watchers. Among other measures, it also reduces penalties for candidates who fail to report campaign spending.
SpaceX Cancels Launch At Last Minute
A last-minute technical problem forced SpaceX to call off Monday’s attempt to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station. The countdown was halted with just two minutes remaining until liftoff from Kennedy Space Center. Engineers determined there was a problem with the engine ignition system, causing SpaceX to postpone the launch until at least Thursday.
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Natural gas burners on a natural-gas-burning stove. On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Rzeszow, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland.

Monday Afternoon Update: Biden Admin Could Ban Nearly 50% Of Gas Stoves, CPAC Starts Wednesday, DeSantis Signs Bill Stripping Disney Of Special Powers

Monday Afternoon Update: Biden Admin. Could Ban Nearly 50% Of Gas Stoves, CPAC Starts Wednesday, DeSantis Signs Bill Stripping Disney Of Special Powers

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