Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01), a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement after the National Lab of the Rockies (NLR) announced an involuntary Reduction in Force (RIF):
“Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Now, electricity prices have spiked 13% since he took office. Yet, his administration has declared war on renewable energy projects that save Americans money, putting enormous stress on labs like Colorado’s National Lab of the Rockies.
“NLR’s track record speaks for itself: the lab has delivered $1.9 billion in economic impact to Colorado and supports thousands of high-tech jobs in our state. Its innovations helped cut solar energy costs by 99.6% and slash air conditioning bills by 45% — breakthroughs that strengthen energy independence while lowering costs.
“Just a month ago, President Trump signed an executive order declaring critical minerals a national priority. Now, staff at the one lab that can deliver on that priority are being let go.
“NLR is fundamental to Colorado’s leadership in clean energy, grid modernization, and innovation. If the administration really wants to prioritize affordability and critical minerals, they ought to be supporting the work at labs like NLR.”
The National Lab of the Rockies (NLR) is a critical node in U.S. national security and energy policy—the only lab in the nation stewarded by the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, giving it a unique federal mandate to secure America’s critical minerals supply chain. It’s also a key center for protecting the power grid from cyberattacks.