Yesterday, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Fox Business Network’s Kudlow to discuss how Democrats’ out-of-control spending and anti-American energy policies have fueled inflation and wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy. Whip Scalise called out the Biden Administration for begging foreign dictators for oil instead of turning to American energy producers. Additionally, Whip Scalise slammed Secretary Granholm and the Department of Energy for wasting $200 million of American taxpayer money in Solyndra-style slush funds.

Highlights from the interview:

On the Democrats’ reckless spending bills:

“We’ve got to get away from these big spending bills. It’s why we have the inflation and the high cost of everything today, because government went on a drunken spending spree for the last two years. You know, every bill was a trillion this and a trillion that, and ultimately, somebody’s got to pay for it. 

“People know, this idea that you can have a free lunch, that student loans can be free, and your house note can be free – there’s no such thing. And yet [Democrats] sold that bill of goods falsely for the last two years, and it’s wrecked the economy. It’s made energy costs so expensive that people are making tough choices on whether they can even keep their houses warm in a cold winter right now. So this is where we are. We’ve got to get this country back on track.”

On passing a continuing resolution instead of an omnibus bill:

“It’s possible [a continuing resolution could be passed instead of a big omnibus bill]. We’re not here right now, and [Speaker] Pelosi surely hasn’t pushed that approach. We’ve talked about doing it differently, and we’ve laid out a calendar for next year to be able to bring all 12 of the appropriations bills individually, debate each item separately, vote up or down based on the merits of what’s in it, have real fiscal restraint, make agencies justify what they’re doing with your hard earned taxpayer dollars. That hasn’t happened in a long time. 

“And yet, you know, that is something that we’re going to be doing. We’re making plans right now for getting that done in the new Congress. But in the meantime, there [are] still a few remaining items in this lame duck. We sure don’t want additional damage done to our economy so we’re having those fights right now.”

On Senator Manchin’s permitting bill and the need to produce energy in America:

“[Senator Manchin’s permitting bill] was very narrowly drawn, you know, just for maybe West Virginia. It’s not the broader permitting reform we need to get our energy economy going again. And so, we’ve laid out a really strong pro-American energy agenda for the new Congress, and let’s get bills passed through the House that show the country how we don’t have to beg foreign nations anymore for energy. We shouldn’t be going to Saudi [Arabia] or Venezuela or Russia or anybody for energy. We should be making it in America. 

“And by the way, it lowers carbon emissions globally to produce more energy in America. Everybody should be wanting to make more of it here. Our allies do. We should be exporting more natural gas to our friends around the world so they don’t have to get it from bad actors who put strings on that energy. 

“All that would not only create good jobs in America, it would lower carbon emissions globally, and it would bring down the cost of energy on families that is crushing the middle class. Lower-income families are getting crushed by high energy costs. 

“And look, all this Green New Deal stuff you talk about, look at the countries that have done it. You know, in the European Union, they did what California did – they banned fossil fuel cars, and the grid is not ready to handle it. So Switzerland is right now as we speak contemplating banning the electric cars. So you can’t drive a fossil fuel car. You can’t drive an electric car. I guess they’re going to go back to the horse and buggy in Switzerland. But other countries are wrecking their economies, too. It doesn’t make any sense. 

“Let’s go back to what we know works: good, natural gas, fossil fuels made in America with the most efficient way to make it anywhere in the world.”

On the Department of Energy giving $200 million to a battery company primarily operated from China:

“This is what we warned of when [Democrats] were passing [their tax-and-spending spree.] I called it a Solyndra-style slush fund, back last year. And you know, the White House mocked that statement. And here we go again, you know, you’re seeing $200 million of your hard-earned tax dollars going to go to a company that, by their own definition, said the Chinese government has influence, exerts influence, in how they do business. Is that who we want to be giving $200 million of American taxpayer money to? 

“And yet that’s what [Secretary Granholm] just did. I can’t wait to see her explain that in a public hearing when we bring her in to talk about that, and the other hundreds of millions and billions of dollars of your hard-earned tax dollars that are going to companies like this – companies that have to answer to China, and yet your tax dollars in America are going to those companies. [It] makes absolutely no sense.

“Again, we have inflation. They racked up trillions in spending and debt just to give money away, hundreds of millions at a time, to Chinese companies. This is lunacy. 

“When the Chinese government exerts influence over them, it tells you all you need to know. Why not make it in America? Why not stop using taxpayer money? Let the free market choose where this goes and ultimately bring those jobs back home.”