The ambitious framework focuses on affordability, reliability, innovation, and creating good-paying jobs WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Energy Subcommittee, is unveiling his vision for America’s energy future. At a time when energy costs are rising at twice the rate of inflation, Senator Gallego’s plan, “Fostering American Energy Innovation and Affordability,” takes an all-of-the-above approach with an eye to ensuring future investments are focused on the most affordable, reliable, and efficient forms of energy.   Read the full plan HERE. “Growing up poor, I know what it’s like to play ‘utility roulette’ – which bill will have to get skipped

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee held a hearing on Senator Ruben Gallego’s (D-AZ) Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act. The bill provides recommendations for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of wildfire mitigation across land ownership boundaries by identifying gaps and opportunities in current federal rules and regulations and supporting increased collaboration.   Watch Senator Gallego’s opening statement at the hearing HERE, and read excerpts below: “This could not come at a more urgent time. This year, Arizona alone saw more than 200,000 acres burn across the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest.

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and 11 Senate colleagues demanded urgent answers from U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz regarding the agency’s wildfire risk reduction efforts across the West and nation.  Their inquiry follows an independent analysis of publicly available data indicating that the Forest Service is approximately 38 percent behind on hazardous fuels reduction work, as compared to the previous four calendar years.  The Senators wrote to Forest Service Chief Schultz, “You have continued to maintain that the Forest Service has adequate resources and staffing to manage wildfire preparedness and response on federal lands, and that, while the Forest Service is significantly