{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2518", "Balderson, Hudson Introduce Legislation to Protect Energy Supply Chain", "2023-06-21", "2023", "2023-06", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Troy Balderson", "B001306", "balderson.house.gov", "balderson", "https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=6", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 Congressmen Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Richard Hudson (R-NC) introduced the Protecting America\u2019s Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act, which would repeal the Department of Energy\u2019s authority to propose, finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any energy efficiency standard for distribution transformers for the next five years. This legislation marks the continued effort to strengthen America\u2019s energy security.\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration\u2019s new standards for distribution transformers threaten national security, grid reliability and resilience, and the continued domestic production of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES),\u201d said Balderson. \u201cAs one of the two Members of Congress with a GOES facility in my district, I am proud to join Congressman Hudson in introducing the Protecting America's Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act to protect the grid and hundreds of good-paying steel jobs in Ohio.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Department of Energy should be focusing on strengthening the U.S. supply chain for distribution transformers for the next five years, not further disrupting it,\u201d said Hudson. \u201cMy constituents can not afford further energy disruptions that jeopardize their safety. I am proud to introduce the Protecting America\u2019s Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act in order to ensure our electrical manufacturers can continue to do what they do best, without Washington getting in their way.\u201d\n\nDistribution transformers, commonly seen on utility poles, lower the voltage of electrical power before it reaches the consumer. In December, the Department of Energy proposed new energy efficiency standards for low-voltage dry-type distribution transformers, liquid-immersed distribution transformers, and medium-voltage, dry-type distribution transformers. If finalized as proposed, the standards will provide little to no energy savings and further disrupt the nation\u2019s supply chain by causing lead times to procure transformers to increase from months to years.\n\nThis proposed rule would require all distribution transformers to shift from the industry standard grain oriented electrical steel (GOES) cores\u2013which are already 97.7 percent energy efficient and account for 95 percent of the domestic distribution transformer market\u2013to amorphous steel cores.\n\nOhio\u2019s 12th Congressional District is home to Cleveland-Cliffs\u2019 Zanesville Works plant, one of the two remaining GOES plants in the country. The plant is located on the Muskingum River in Zanesville and employs 170 people.\n\nBalderson and Hudson are joined by fellow Energy and Commerce Committee members Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rick Allen (R-GA), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) in introducing the bill.\n\nTo read the Protecting America\u2019s Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act, click here.\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nHouse passes Rep. Troy Balderson\u2019s bill to bolster grid reliability\n\nDecember 18, 2025 | Posted in Articles\n\nHouse Passes Balderson\u2019s Reliable Power Act\n\nDecember 17, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson Joins President Trump for Announcement to Lower Car Prices and Protect Consumer Choice\n\nDecember 3, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson, Cotton Introduce Bill to Stop Frivolous Lawsuits Blocking American Energy Projects\n\nDecember 2, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nRepublican Bill Targets Endless Litigation Over Energy Projects\n\nDecember 2, 2025 | Posted in Articles", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:15:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2518"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8511082269251347, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}