America’s economic future depends on our ability to achieve energy dominance. This requires not only producing enough energy to meet growing demand but also having the infrastructure to reliably transport it to domestic and international markets.

Building this infrastructure is difficult. It demands massive amounts of capital investment and the patience to withstand years of planning, regulatory hurdles, construction delays, and legal setbacks. During my time on the House Appropriations Committee’s Energy and Water Subcommittee, I worked to secure funding for the Chickamauga Lock replacement. The project showed how funding decisions and delays can affect critical infrastructure.