“What the President has been recommending all along in the legislation, some of which we passed, like the [American] Rescue Plan and the [Bipartisan] Infrastructure [Law], is a long-term address to alternative energy sources and renewable energy sources…”

“We're using the fuels you’ve talked about right now, it's not as if this has been cut off because it hasn't been cut off. I know my friend Mr. Scalise tries to make that message and I point out to him, we have more drilling today than we had under Trump of fossil fuels… We have gotten the economy back, we've grown jobs, we have more demand….I think that's baloney, that we don't have any answers. [Democrats] have responsible answers. There's responsible use of existing fuels to power our economy. You say the economy is not doing too well - 8.9 million jobs in 15 or 16 months. That's more jobs as any time in history.”

On House Democrats’ Work to Tackle Inflation

“Neil, inflation is a huge problem, a huge problem for Americans, supply shortages particularly in grocery stores is a huge problems for Americans. We need to deal with that. We passed the [Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act] not long ago, we passed the Ocean Shipping [Reform Act], which has to do with prices and supply lines. We passed the [America] COMPETES bill. We are now, hopefully, going to get something on the chips done very soon. All of that deals with inflation and deals with trying to get this economy to a place where we're not having withdrawal. But again, we're [at] 3.6% unemployment. If this were a Republican president, I think people would be saying boy, 3.6% unemployment...”

“In terms of inflation, this is a worldwide problem. We're in the middle of the OECD nations in terms of inflation. About 50% higher than ours, 50% lower. We're in the middle. It's worldwide. What caused it? The pandemic caused it. The supply shortages and the spike in demand…If spending caused it, why are 50% of the nations in the OECD nations as above us? They didn't do an American Rescue Plan...”

“I certainly hope [we are through the peak of inflation]. What points that out is people are coming out and consuming, they're buying. What happens? The suppliers were down. What happens when supplies are down and demand is up? You spike costs. That's a problem. We ought to empathize with that. I mentioned a number of bills including the Build Back Better bill, which drives to bring down prescription drugs costs and the Affordable Care Act costs. So yes, we think that is important. The President thinks it's important. We're acting on it. It's not an overnight situation, but clearly it is a critical problem for the American consumer and the American people… I will tell you this: in my view, the President is acting responsibly, effectively on behalf of the American people and on behalf of our economy and that's why we have 8.9 million new jobs and that’s why we have 3.6% unemployment. That's why we're doing well, but in doing well, it has increased demand and supply is not caught up yet.”