March 24, 2023
Reschenthaler Grills Secretary Granholm on Comments Praising China
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) pressed Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on her past comments praising China during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.
A transcript of the exchange is below:
Reschenthaler: Secretary, on March 10, 2023, you said, “We can all learn from what China is doing” — obviously about the environment.
At the time you made that comment, were you aware that 30 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions came from China?
Granholm: Oh yes.
Reschenthaler: Were you aware at the time you made that comment that China emits more than the U.S., the entire E.U., and Japan combined?
Granholm: Oh yes.
Reschenthaler: Were you aware when you made that comment that China brings two coal-fired power plants online per week?
Granholm: Absolutely.
Reschenthaler: Were you aware that China’s coal-fired plants generate 23 percent more energy than all the energy produced in the U.S. combined?
Granholm: Yes.
Reschenthaler: I assume you are also aware that China, in the Paris Climate Agreement, is allowed to increase its emissions through 2030?
Granholm: Yes.
Reschenthaler: Knowing that you knew all that when you made the comment, would you like to retract your praise for China?
Granholm: No, my praise for China was on what they are doing to invest in clean energy, even as they are the world’s largest emitter.
Reschenthaler: So, they are the world’s largest emitter, and we should be studying what they are doing?
Granholm: They are also the largest investor in clean energy technologies — they invest four times more than the United States.
Reschenthaler: They are bringing two coal-fired power plants online each week. And you’re praising that while you’re trying to shut down plants in America.
Granholm: No, I’m not praising that.
Reschenthaler: I can read the quote to you.
Granholm: I was praising their investment in clean energy.
Reschenthaler: Madame Secretary, your exact quote was “so hopefully we can all learn from what China is doing.”
Granholm: On clean energy, because they invest four times more than the United States.
Reschenthaler: Despite being the world’s largest emitter — and they are increasing their emissions.
Granholm: They have a terrible record on greenhouse gas emissions. They have an investment that is significant in clean energy.
Reschenthaler: I also want to talk about a comment you made on October 14, 2021. You said the U.S.A. “doesn’t have the moral authority” to criticize China.
When you made that comment, were you aware that in January of that year, our own State Department determined that the CCP is committing genocide and human rights abuses against Muslim Uyghurs?
Granholm: Yes.
Reschenthaler: Were you aware of Hong Kong and the fact that Hong Kongers lost their liberty, and if you’re accused of a crime, you’re extradited to mainland China?
Granholm: I am aware that China is a huge human rights abuser.
Reschenthaler: Are you aware that the CCP is engaged in severe oppression of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic heritage, including extrajudicial detentions, disappearances, and torture?
Granholm: Yes.
Reschenthaler: Are you aware that the PRC is widely alleged to be a major harvester and trafficker of forcibly acquired organs?
Granholm: Yes.
Reschenthaler: Are you aware that those who have their organs forcibly removed are typically minorities, including Falun Gong, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Muslims, and Christians?
Granholm: Yes, I am aware that China is a horrible, huge human rights abuser.
Reschenthaler: I find it even more astounding that you say that the United States does not have the moral authority to criticize China when you are aware of this laundry list of human rights violations I just provided you.
Granholm: That was not the subject I was referring to, sir.
Reschenthaler: You were still talking about the moral authority of the U.S. v. China.
Granholm: The United States has to learn about the strategy that China has engaged in to be able to take supply chains for clean energy and corner the market on that. And in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the response to China has been we are making the United States irresistible...
Reschenthaler: I am reclaiming my time.
Granholm: I do not like being taken out of context.
Reschenthaler: I am not taking you out of context. I’ve got two quotes of you praising China. One saying that we don’t have the moral authority to criticize China after I just gave you a litany of human rights violations.
Granholm: I was not referring to that.
Reschenthaler: I also gave you a quote in which you were praising China on how they were handling energy, and you just admitted they are the largest CO2 emitter and they’re increasing their CO2 emissions. Where is your praise for the United States in the fact that we are the only western power that is reducing its emissions through natural gas?
Granholm: I have been praising the United States since being in this role on how fantastic it is that we are now in the game. The largest investment in clean energy in the last year was thanks to Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Reschenthaler: Madame Secretary, I find your praise for the CCP to be alarming.