To celebrate the holiday season and ring in another successful year, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) hosted a reception boasting more than 200 attendees, including several members of Congress. CRES President and CEO Heather Reams gave opening remarks, and Representatives Jim Baird of Indiana, Buddy Carter of Georgia, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, Gabe Evans of Colorado and Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota provided brief remarks. CRES was also thrilled to welcome Alex Fitzsimmons, Acting Undersecretary of Energy at the Department of Energy (DOE), who also provided remarks on ways to work together to unleash all forms of American energy.
CRES President and CEO Heather Reams kicked off the event by highlighting the progress 2025 brought CRES and its clean energy partners. This included thanking some of CRES’ strongest supporters—PG&E, ExxonMobil, Advantage Capital, Advantage Renewables, CIP, Crux, Electric Hydrogen, Honeywell, GE Vernova, Nexans, OceanWinds and Topsoe.
Reams continued the programming by talking about the critical progress on permitting reform in 2025, including Chairman Westerman’s SPEED Act! She also outlined CRES’ continued work to signify the importance of embracing energy of all forms—including natural gas, nuclear, solar, geothermal, hydrogen and other forms of clean energy—to meet the needs of American families amid the rapid growth of domestic manufacturing and data centers.
Following her remarks, Reams welcomed the members in attendance to share their thoughts and perspectives on the current federal energy landscape. Each member offered a glimpse into their day-to-day work and behind-the-scenes engagement. Importantly, all remained optimistic about the promise of advancing all-of-the-above policies and the undeniable economic benefits that are intertwined.
Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana discussed the need to harness all forms of energy, noting that his district is widely seen as an innovation hub, and with that comes the necessary power to keep AI up and running. Baird also highlighted the importance of capitalizing on available power, and using every resource at our disposal.
Rep. Buddy Carter, Vice Chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, noted how Georgia truly encompasses the need for an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy creation. With his district supporting the largest nuclear facility in the nation, Carter understands firsthand the role homegrown energy can play in supporting local economies and growing electricity demand.
Conservative Climate Caucus Chair Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks spoke with the audience about the importance of energy tax credits and the efforts she led in the House during the negotiations of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. She noted Iowa’s diverse energy sources and how in order to stay ahead of adversarial nations like China, the United States must use every electron available.
Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents Virginia’s Second District, talked about how important tax credits were for job creation. In cities like Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and the surrounding areas, key military bases rely on every election. Dependable, consistent power is crucial to keep these installations operating and to ensure servicemembers and their families are supported.
Rep. Gabe Evans of Colorado talked about the need for all forms of energy to be included in an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy dominance. He shared with the audience that over 80% of all crude oil production and 56% of all natural gas production in Colorado comes from his district in Weld County. Evans went on to note that while oil and natural gas must always be a part of the equation, wind, solar, geothermal and many other energy technologies are also heavily represented and critical to the economy.
Rep. Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota’s sole representative in the House of Representatives, shared her history working within the energy space. Before coming to Congress, she served for 12 years as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission, giving her unique insight into what’s needed to build energy infrastructure projects. She explained to the audience how this background gives her a different perspective than other members as she serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Finally, Alex Fitzsimmons, Acting Undersecretary of Energy at DOE, concluded the guest speeches sharing his perspective working for the Trump Administration. Fitzsimmons talked about the administration’s energy priorities, and the work President Trump and Secretary Wright have done to make America more energy dominant.
CRES is also grateful to our many supporters and partners, especially our platinum supporters: Invenergy, Constellation, Pattern and PG&E; our gold supporters: ExxonMobil; and our silver supporters: Advantage Capital, Advantage Renewables, CIP, Crux, Electric Hydrogen, Honeywell, GE Vernova, Nexans, OceanWinds and Topsoe. Their support makes our work and events like this possible!
CRES is so proud to partner with members who understand the importance of advancing durable energy policies that support all forms of domestic production—and the critical role Republicans play in these conversations. As we look to the future, CRES will continue to advocate for these efforts to bolster American energy security, encourage economic growth and build a cleaner future for generations to come.
If you are interested in joining the CRES Partnership Program, please contact Angela Chiappetta, CRES’ vice president of external relations at [email protected].