U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, continues to establish herself as a prominent freshman lawmaker in Congress.
Hageman announced Monday that she has been named co-chair of the House Coal Caucus, a group of 33 mostly Republican members of congress who are
“I am proud to join with my colleagues as a co-chair of the Coal Caucus because America must have accessible and affordable energy and coal is a prime source of that energy now — and will be needed for generations to come,” Hageman said in a press release.
Coal is still a very relevant industry in Wyoming, which has been the nation’s largest producer of the resource since 1986, producing 41% of the national share.
The natural resource currently provides nearly 40% of global electricity, and coal-fueled power plants account for about 25% of all electricity generated in the United States.
Fight The ‘Fanatics’
President Joe Biden’s administration has generally opposed coal production and the industry, citing its negative environmental effects.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2021, carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal accounted for about 20% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions and for nearly 60% of total CO2 emissions from the electric power sector.
“We cannot allow the Biden bureaucrats and ‘green bad deal’ fanatics to continue threatening our ability to use clean, reliable and affordable American coal now or in the future,” Hageman said.
Other Committees And Caucuses
Hageman has been active in her first months on Capitol Hill through her work on other committees as well.
She chairs the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, which serves under the House Committee on Natural Resources, of which she also is a member.
“The committees and caucuses that Rep. Hageman has joined reflect some of the most important issues for Wyoming and the country,” Hageman spokesman Chris Berardi told Cowboy State Daily.
The first-term representative has been an active voice on the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, where she has gone after “unelected bureaucrats” she believes exceed their authority in wielding unconstitutional and unlawful power.
Hageman also is a member of the Constitution and Limited Government and Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust subcommittees.
Earlier this month, it was also announced Hageman is a member of the Anti-Woke Caucus.
“These are the issues that Wyomingites raise as Congresswoman Hageman travels county by county for town halls, ensuring we can utilize our abundant natural resources and become energy independent, reining in the regulatory state, and changing woke culture,” Berardi said. “Her voice being heard means Wyoming can be heard.
“The ideals, values and needs of Wyoming should be known and taken into consideration as important legislation is written and policies are discussed.”
In her freshman term, Hageman’s predecessor, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, served on the Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Rules. Under the Armed Services Committee, she also was a member of the Intelligence and Special Operations and Strategic Forces subcommittees.
Cheney also was on the Congressional Western Caucus, of which Hageman also is a member.
Contact Leo Wolfson at Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com.
