Dear Friends and Colleagues,

With President Donald Trump sworn into a second term on Monday, Washington is forging ahead at full speed. For Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), this marks an exciting and crucial time to engage with Republican leaders on advancing all-of-the-above energy solutions to reduce global emissions while bolstering America’s energy security. 

President Trump’s executive orders on day one of his presidency undeniably show that he is laser-focused on unlocking American-made energy and cutting unnecessary red tape. Among these executive actions, President Trump: 

• Rescinded a host of executive orders, that imposed burdensome and costly requirements on American energy producers and consumers.  

• Declared a national energy emergency to reduce barriers and cut red tape to expand domestic energy production and infrastructure.  

• Encouraged domestic energy production to ensure American energy dominance. 

• Officially nominated the Cabinet-level officials, Sub-Cabinet-level officials and the Chairs of the various government boards to enact the Administration's agenda.  

Last week, we saw the first round of Congressional hearings for Administration nominees who will lead departments critical to CRES’ mission. CRES-endorsed nominees include Interior Secretary nominee former Governor Doug Burgum (R-N.D.), Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright, and EPA Administrator nominee former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.). 

During the hearings, all three nominees voiced their support for diversifying America’s energy portfolio, strengthening American industry and ensuring we have clean air and water. With their confirmations likely, CRES is actively working to engage and advocate for our priorities as their teams are formed.  

This is a pivotal moment for our nation’s energy future, and at CRES we are ready to tackle the challenge head-on. We invite you to partner with us as we advocate for commonsense energy policies that benefit both the environment and the economy.  

WHAT CRES IS HEARING

WHAT CRES IS SAYING

About the final rules for the section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit... 
“These rules make important improvements from Treasury’s proposed rules, including introducing vital flexibility for hydrogen producers, but still more progress is needed to enable near-term project deployment and fully unlock the potential of American produced hydrogen. To position the United States as a global leader in hydrogen production, policymakers must prioritize a framework that fosters investment, innovation and scalability – consistent with comments submitted by CRES. Ensuring a strong, long-term clean hydrogen market requires policies that balance environmental stewardship with practical requirements.” – CRES President Heather Reams in a statement.  

WHAT CRES IS DOING

CRES President Heather Reams joined Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson and Christopher Sands, the director of the Canada Institute of The Wilson Center, to discuss how the U.S. and Canada can collaborate to strengthen energy security and reduce reliance on China for key resources like critical minerals. Watch the full discussion HERE. 

Stay organized this year and download the 2025 CRES Congressional Calendar HERE or below. 

WHAT CRES IS WRITING

RealClearEnergy: Reflecting on Eight Years of Conservative Clean Energy 
I just celebrated my eighth anniversary running Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES). This milestone represents eight years of working to ensure Republicans have a seat at the table to discuss the benefits of unleashing American energy while lowering emissions.  During this time, I witnessed three presidential elections—each with its own nuances—and saw their impact on our nation’s political climate and public opinion. 

The Promise of AI in Energy: Unlocking Energy Independence and Ensuring National Security  
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) promises unparalleled advancements across every industry in the United States with the potential to enhance nearly every product and service through innovation. Energy is no exception. AI has the potential to revolutionize how we generate, distribute and consume power—transforming everything from demand forecasting to grid management and supply chain logistics. Yet, this promise hinges on a crucial bottleneck: the slow and expensive deployment of new energy resources.  

Also read the summary blog of the above issue brief HERE.  

WHAT CRES IS READING

The surprising climate commitments of Trump’s new ‘energy czar’ — The Washington Post 

Are Biden and Trump at Odds on Global Energy Strategy? Maybe Not So Much. — The New York Times 

Young conservatives want to push Trump on climate change — the ‘America First’ way — Grist 

Sununu charted his own path on climate policy. Gov. Ayotte will have opportunities to make change. — Concord Monitor