Originally published July 20, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) is taking a hard stance against what she perceives as the Biden administration’s hypocrisy, demanding that the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adhere to the same energy guidance they recommend to the American public.
In response to the Biden administration’s recommendation for American households to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher during the summer months in an effort to conserve energy, Ernst is calling on the DOE and EPA to “Lead by Example.”
“I’m turning up the heat on the Biden administration to pull the plug on their ridiculous regulations and make Washington bureaucrats think twice before imposing arbitrary rules on Americans,” Ernst said in a recent press release. “If they truly believe it’s good enough for hardworking Americans, they should be ready and willing to lead by example and follow their own guidelines.”
Ernst’s Lead by Example Act requests both the DOE and EPA to disclose what temperature their air conditioning has been set at since President Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021.
This comes in response to the administration’s push towards renewable energy which, according to Ernst, has led to a reduction in energy supply without presenting affordable and reliable alternatives.
Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) echoed Ernst’s sentiments, expressing concern that these guidelines are unreasonable for the American public while federal agencies do not follow the same rules.
“The Biden Administration has recommended Americans set the temperature on their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, during the heat of the summer, to limit energy use. This recommendation is an uncomfortable, and possibly unreasonable expectation of the American people,” said Miller-Meeks.
The Lead by Example Act aims to hold the DOE and EPA accountable for their own energy consumption and requires these agencies to set their thermostats to a minimum of 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Furthermore, it calls for the DOE to report its thermostat history to Congress from 2021 onwards.
Ernst’s campaign to require federal agencies to adhere to their own energy guidance culminated with a direct message to the Biden administration.
“The reality is, Biden bureaucrats are pushing their out-of-touch agenda on the American people to compensate for their failed radical green agenda. It’s time to make ‘em squeal and sweat!” she said.
Ernst has even warned of “Biden blackouts” on the Senate floor, further criticizing the administration’s renewable energy policies and their potential impacts on the American public.
