{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397714", "<span class=\"kicker\">Smith hearing focuses on helping power a better future for Africa</span>Increasing Electricity and Improving Energy Resources in Africa", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Efforts to foster electricity and energy development in Africa was the focus of a hearing held today by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee\u2019s Africa Subcommittee. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The congressional hearing, entitled \u201cThe Future of Energy in Africa,\u201d featured testimony from the U.S. State Department, U.S. Energy Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) about prospects to bring about policies to help energize the continent, which in turn could help expand consumer markets and international trade, and improve the quality of life for millions of people.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe great irony is that Africa has more than enough energy capacity to join the rest of the world in utilizing modern technologies that require regular energy supplies,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIronically, 30 percent of global oil and gas discoveries over the past five years have been in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet currently, only 290 million out of 914 million Africans have access to electricity, and the total number lacking such access continues to rise. Bioenergy, mainly fuel wood and charcoal, is still a major source of fuel. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt seems that every few months, there is yet another discovery of petroleum or natural gas in Africa,\u201d Smith said. \u201cNevertheless, African countries remain net importers of energy, and the distribution of power from the many new sources of energy in Africa remains unfulfilled.\u00a0 This constrains trade and economic progress, social development and overall quality of life in Africa.\u201d Click here to read Smith\u2019s opening statement. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The hearing included testimony on the prospects of H.R. 2548, the Electrify Africa Act, legislation that seeks to improve the African power sector\u2013from increased production to more effective provision of energy.\u00a0 H.R. 2548 passed the House this past May, but has languished in the Senate ever since.\u00a0 If no Senate action is taken during the remaining days of the current 113th Congress, this legislation will have to be reintroduced next year. Also discussed was the Administration\u2019s Power Africa initiative and other assistance to build the capacity of the African power sector. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAfrican people, like people everywhere, deserve the benefits that modern technology has produced.\u00a0 Africa has become a prized global consumer market, but that market cannot be fully realized without electricity,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAnyone visiting stores in Africa can see the many modern technologies offered to African consumers today; they merely need guaranteed electricity for those goods to be useful. The consumer goods the growing African middle class is purchasing need electricity.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The hearing featured Dr. Robert F. Ichord, Jr., Ph.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State; Eric G. Postel, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Africa at the U.S. Agency for International Development; Jonathan Elkind, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy; Walker A. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Leadership Africa USA, and; Dianne R. Sutherland, Owner and Publisher, Petroleum Africa Magazine. Click here to view Smith\u2019s opening statement, read the witnesses\u2019 testimonies or watch the hearing.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397714"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3417499139904976, "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"}