While many Hoosiers are worried about how they will afford their heat this winter, Congressman Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), says Democrats and some Republicans have priorities that put people in other countries first, with plans to outsource green energy projects.

“My constituents in Indiana are experiencing rising inflation, paying gas prices at the pump that are nearly 70 percent higher than last year and seeing their energy bills increase just in time for them to need to heat their homes in the winter. That’s what I’m concerned about,” said Bucshon, in a Tuesday hearing on supply chain challenges.

Bucshon said some of the wind and solar energy projects that may be funded by Congress are unrealistic and “can’t be accomplished”. He noted that he supports wind and solar energy.

“We all know this is unrealistic timelines. We should quit fooling ourselves,” he said.

Bucshon also called out what he says is hypocrisy within groups pushing for green energy.

“We all know what’s happening in China and other areas of the world. We look the other way because it’s benefitting our energy goals,” he said. Bucshon said child and slave labor are used, in some cases, to make products that may make the projects possible.

He also said that the batteries needed for storing solar energy and the solar panels themselves, may cause environmental problems problems over their life.

“They have all kinds of bad metals in them, including lead and others. In the United States we throw ’em in a landfill. Everybody knows that,” he said, noting that the panels and their materials are recycled in Europe.

Bucshon said conversations about recycling the materials with industry leaders in the U.S. surprised him.

“They said because we can’t compete with China already how are we gonna compete if you force us to put recycling in the entire life of our solar panels here in the U.S.?” he said. “We’re looking the other way when it comes to recycling. Everybody should look at just throwing all these things in landfills, cause that’s what we’re gonna do.”

During the hearing Bucshon called out several of what he called “elephants in the room”, which he said are ignored when they would get in the way of renewable energy plans and projects.

“If we’re truly interested in this let’s quit being hypocrites and look at the entire life chain of renewable projects.”