The Ripon Society, Washington D.C., DC (2026)

05/29/2026

ICYMI: China controls 70% of clean energy manufacturing. Russia is locking in nuclear partnerships for generations. America's answer isn't to out-subsidize them — it's to out-innovate them. ClearPath Foundation CEO Jeremy Harrell makes the conservative case for energy dominance in the latest Ripon Forum:

The answer for the U.S. is not to copy or out-subsidize China and Russia. Instead, we should play to our uniquely American strengths and do it with much greater focus. The U.S. still has the best innovation ecosystem in the world. We have deep capital markets, world-class research institutions, top engineering talent and a private sector that can move faster and adapt better than any centrally planned economy. We also have something China does not: a network of allies and partners that want American energy.

First, the U.S. should double down on technologies where we can innovate quickly to define the future instead of chasing where China already has scale. Advanced nuclear is a key technology area where U.S. companies are rapidly innovating small modular reactors (SMRs), microreactors, fusion machines and more. By some estimates, the market for new nuclear generation could reach about $380 billion annually by 2050, presenting a huge strategic and commercial opportunity for American innovators. Enhanced geothermal systems present another technology area where the U.S. currently holds genuine technological superiority over China and Russia with advanced drilling techniques adapted from the oil and gas industry. The International Energy Agency forecasts that geothermal could meet up to 15 percent of global electricity demand growth through 2050. These are not niche technologies. They are high-potential platforms for American leadership.

Second, energy innovation only matters if the technology can be built at speed and scale. That means modernizing permitting, strengthening domestic manufacturing and putting steel in the ground for the infrastructure needed to support rising electricity demand. In this environment, slow approvals for transmission lines, reactors, mines and pipelines are not just frustrating. They are a competitive disadvantage. If it takes America too long to build, our competitors will pass us by and the world will buy from someone else.

Third, for American innovators to win in global energy markets, tools like the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM), the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) can help level the playing field if they are used with a clear strategic purpose. American innovation should not stop at our borders. It should power a stronger global demand for clean, affordable and reliable U.S. energy. But our economic policy tools must be fit for purpose. Reauthorizing and modernizing EXIM this year would be an important step forward. With the right enhancements, EXIM can help scale advanced nuclear, geothermal, LNG infrastructure and other strategic clean energy systems in markets that are growing rapidly. Just as important is better coordination across EXIM, DFC and USTDA, along with closer partnerships with allies. Concepts like Energy Security Compacts offer a practical path by aligning diplomacy, project development, financing and exports into a unified approach.

This strategy is focused on ensuring that America shapes the next generation of global energy systems. The countries that finance and deploy these technologies will do more than win market share. They will build alliances, set standards and strengthen their position in the world all while reducing global emissions.

As Republicans, we should be confident in making that case. Supporting strategic clean energy systems is a practical extension of conservative principles. It means backing innovation, strengthening domestic industry, expanding exports and reducing dependence on adversarial supply chains. It means understanding that energy dominance and global energy leadership go hand in hand.

That’s why the right strategy for American energy dominance is simple: innovate fast, build here and sell globally.

READ MORE: https://riponsociety.org/article/an-american-strategy-for-global-clean-energy-leadership/

05/28/2026

From September 2020 remarks to The Ripon Society, Cathy McMorris Rodgers made the case for American leadership on the world stage — and what it would take to stay ahead of China:

“I come from Washington state – the most trade dependent state in the country. Forty percent of our jobs are trade dependent and we export a lot to China and to the entire Pacific rim. I think, where my heart is right now, it is important for America to be smart, be strategic, and lead the American way. The relationship that we’ve had with China has been an important one, and is going to continue to be an important one, but we need to make sure that we’re continuing to bring China our way, where China respects individual rights and intellectual property rights.”

READ MORE: https://riponsociety.org/2020/09/we-need-to-make-sure-we-are-building-a-strong-foundation-here-at-home-and-holding-china-accountable/

05/27/2026

ICYMI: In the latest Ripon Forum, Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) argues that biofuels are a key part of America's energy dominance — and that North Dakota is helping fuel the world:

One of my most important legislative efforts for North Dakota is already across the finish line. My legislation to stop the Biden administration’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Plan (RMP) for our state passed both the House and Senate and was signed into law. That plan would have been devastating—costing an estimated 12,000 jobs and $34 million in annual state revenue. Completing that was critical for our workers, our communities, and our economy.

Looking ahead, I’m focused on two key priorities. First, the High-Capacity Grid Act. We need more power to meet growing demand, especially with the rise of AI and data centers. The reality is, we can’t build new infrastructure fast enough, so we must make better use of existing infrastructure. This legislation will help modernize America’s transmission system by requiring the use of best-available transmission conductors for new interstate transmission lines and rebuilds.

Second, year-round E15 and the Farm Bill. Biofuels are an important part of America’s energy dominance and another way North Dakota is helping fuel the world. I serve as Co-Chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus to advance policies that will help expand domestic energy production, empower rural America, and deliver practical solutions for North Dakotans. I am also on Speaker Johnson’s Rural Domestic Energy Council. This group of House Members has drafted language to provide for year-round E15 that aims to address concerns of all stakeholders. The goal is to have this bill pass both chambers of Congress so it can be signed into law by President Trump. Additionally, the Working Families Tax Cuts Act included more than two-thirds of the Farm Bill, with the rest of the Farm Bill heading to the House Floor soon. I look forward to voting in support of the package, which makes conservation programs more farmer-friendly, enhances credit provisions, and makes improvements to programs in rural America.

These are practical, results-driven efforts that will make a real difference for North Dakota families and our future.

READ MORE: https://riponsociety.org/article/ripon-profile-of-julie-fedorchak/

05/26/2026

TEDDY TWEET OF THE WEEK

“We call to mind the deaths of those who died that the nation might live, who wagered all that life holds dear for the great prize of death in battle.”

Theodore Roosevelt
Remarks on Memorial Day
Arlington, Virginia
May 30, 1902

05/25/2026

HONOR THE FALLEN – MEMORIAL DAY 2026

05/22/2026

ICYMI: America's permitting process is broken — and it's costing us jobs, investment, and economic opportunity. House Committee on Natural Resources GOP Chairman Congressman Bruce Westerman writes on what Congress can do to fix it in the latest Ripon Forum:

According to the National Association of Home Builders, permitting regulations at all levels of government account for 41 percent of the cost of a multifamily development; these costs are ultimately passed on to American families as higher housing costs. This is just one example of the hidden costs that permitting delays impose on our economy and cost of living.

But it’s not just builders who are facing challenges with the permitting process. Recently in Arizona, after twelve years of lawsuits and delays, the Resolution Copper Mine cleared the final hurdle. This mine will strengthen our domestic copper supply chains and reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries for our critical mineral needs. It will also support thousands of good-paying jobs.

America produces energy and minerals cleaner, safer and more efficiently than anywhere else in the world. But those benefits cannot come to fruition if the infrastructure isn’t built. The twelve years of lawsuits challenging Resolution Copper are a prime example of how our federal permitting process has opened the door to endless delays that drive up costs, halt economic growth and stifle American innovation. By fixing the permitting process, we will enable our nation to do what it does best – innovate, produce and build – and every American will benefit.

READ MORE: https://riponsociety.org/article/let-america-build/

05/21/2026

From May 2017 remarks to The Ripon Society, Congressman Don Bacon, a retired Brigadier General, offered a timeless standard for leadership — one that's especially fitting as we head into Memorial Day weekend:

“I think leaders have to have a noble vision. If you’re in an organization without a noble vision, you feel lost. As a candidate, I wanted a noble vision. And now as a Congressman, I want a noble vision. For me it is about protecting our freedom. It’s about making sure our national security is strong. And that we want to have good opportunities for the next generation economically. That’s sort of my vision. But I think good leaders are selfless — it’s always about the team and the mission. If it ever is about us, then we are a poor leader. I think good leaders have to have moral courage to make tough decisions and be unpopular.

“It’s better to carry a moral compass then a wind vane. You’re going to get to the right place if you’ve got a compass verses the wind vane over time. I believe good leaders have to strive for excellence. I’ve worked for too many people who are happy with a ‘B.’ If you’re happy with a ‘B’, you’re not the right person for that job.”

READ MORE: https://riponsociety.org/2017/05/its-not-about-you-its-about-the-people-around-you/

05/20/2026

NEWS from
THE RIPON SOCIETY
"Rep. Bill Huizenga & MacGuineas Call for Bipartisan Action on Debt Crisis"
May 20, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC – With the national debt exceeding 100 percent of GDP for the first time since World War II, The Ripon Society held a breakfast discussion yesterday morning with two leading voices in the fight to get spending under control – House Financial Services Vice-Chair Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04) and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) President Maya MacGuineas.

Huizenga, a seasoned member of the committee and Chairman of the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum (BFF), opened the discussion by emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation on the country's fiscal challenges.

“We are in this together, regardless of party label, and we have got to figure it out together, because this is not going to be a one-party solution either. … First, you need relationships. You need relationships to build trust, and then you need that trust to then go find solutions.”

MacGuineas, who is also actively involved with the BFF, built on Huizenga's remarks — noting that bipartisanship alone is not enough to address the country's deepening fiscal crisis.

“I think the fiscal policy issue, the fiscal situation, we have right now is the perfect illustration of something that's so hard, everybody knows it's a problem, and nobody wants to work on it because the fixes are really difficult. Absolutely this is something that has to be done that's bipartisan, but that's still not enough, because it takes a lot of courage and it takes recognition from both parties.”

The CRFB President went on to outline several of the most pressing threats to the nation's economic foundation — chief among them, the country's unsustainable borrowing.

“We are borrowing $2 trillion every year when the economy is good, who knows what's going to happen during the next downturn, but we know we're not as prepared as we should be.

“Budget deficits are not something people are going home and fretting about, but it leaves the fiscal foundation of a weak country, remarkably weak. Right now, we're in a moment that is illustrating why this is so dangerous. You need to have a strong fiscal situation in case you have an economic crisis to avoid inflation and higher interest rates for national security. You do not want to be in a situation of having to borrow from countries who you are not aligned with, particularly if it's about protecting against them, or for big unknown moments.”

“But I think more difficult than the fiscal challenges is the political challenge, that if anyone goes out there and tells the truth – that we’ve got to talk about controlling spending, we’ve got to fix entitlements, we've got to find a way to get new revenue – they will be politically obliterated.”

The discussion then turned to concrete solutions the BFF has advanced, including capping national deficit spending at 3 percent of GDP — a benchmark both speakers described as a necessary and achievable first step.

“That does not solve it right away, but it starts building the habits,” Huizenga explained. “Let's start this journey here towards a fiscal commission by having this debate on something that's a little bit more palatable and a little more approachable and maybe is going to be able to garner some more support.”

“What's great about 3% is you put it out there and then all the different people who support it – whether it's the Senate Budget committee, or the House or the president, or the progressive caucus, or the RSC – they put forth a budget that also meets a 3% target,” MacGuineas added. “You start to see the real trade-offs and you start to look for compromises, which is where we know we have to be.”

Huizenga offered perspective on the effort, framing it not as a finish line but as a critical waypoint in a longer fiscal journey.

“We’ve been working towards some big ideas,” Huizenga said, “and we have made progress on that. But I think it now is really, this is something that if we could come across with this as an accomplishment, that would be hugely helpful as we are building towards other things. This can't be the finish line, right? This is a mile marker. And if we view it that way, then we're well on our way to this marathon.”

To read more and view Huizenga and MacGuineas’ remarks before The Ripon Society yesterday, please visit https://riponsociety.org/2026/05/huizenga-macguineas-call-for-bipartisan-action-on-debt-crisis/

05/20/2026

Drivers save 10–40 cents per gallon where E15 is available. So why isn't it available year-round? President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association Geoff Cooper explains why passing year-round E15 is one of the easiest calls Congress can make right now in the latest Ripon Forum:

The latest escalation involving Iran and the resulting spike in global oil prices have once again put American drivers at the mercy of forces beyond our control. Gas prices are rapidly climbing for American drivers, and pressure is mounting on Congress and the Trump administration to deliver badly needed financial relief. AAA reports that national average gas prices hit $3.96 on March 23—up more than $1 per gallon from just a month ago.

There is a clear, immediate step lawmakers can take to help remedy this: Pass legislation allowing nationwide, year-round sales of lower-cost E15, a gasoline blend containing 15 percent American-made ethanol—slightly more than today’s standard gasoline, which contains 10 percent ethanol. E15 is a legally approved fuel for all vehicles manufactured since 2001, meaning more than 95 percent of the automobiles on the road today are EPA-approved for E15.

Millions of drivers are already keeping more money in their pockets by choosing E15, with average savings of 10 to 40 cents per gallon and savings at some stations reaching as high as 60 cents. At a moment when fuel costs are surging because of geopolitical instability, expanding access to this lower-cost, American-made fuel should be the obvious priority of Congress. The economics are simple: in recent weeks, ethanol is selling for $1 per gallon less than gasoline at the bulk terminals where fuels are blended together prior to being delivered to gas stations. Obviously, adding more ethanol to gasoline helps bring down the price at the pump.

To read more, please visit https://riponsociety.org/article/will-americans-benefit-from-year-round-e15-sales-yes/

05/19/2026

TEDDY TWEET OF THE WEEK

“Under our form of government voting is not merely a right but a duty, and, moreover, a fundamental and necessary duty if a man is to be a good citizen.”

Theodore Roosevelt
Seventh Annual Message
December 3, 1907

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