EXCLUSIVE: Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is being pressed to explain her controversial remark that the U.S. can "learn from what China is doing" on climate change.
Granholm made that remark at the SXSW festival last week in Austin, Texas, where she praised China's efforts to tackle climate change and said the communist country "has been very sensitive, and has actually invested a lot in their solutions, to achieve their goals."
"We're hopeful that, you know, we can all learn from what China is doing," Granholm said.
ENERGY SECRETARY GRANHOLM CLAIMS US CAN ‘LEARN FROM WHAT CHINA IS DOING’ ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Her comments drew a heated response from GOP House members, who accused her of "siding with China against American energy producers."
"I was deeply disturbed that Secretary Granholm recently espoused CCP propaganda, claiming the U.S. could ‘learn’ from China's so-called efforts to combat climate change," Hinson, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital.
"As secretary of Energy, she should know that China is the world's worst polluter and has exported environmental degradation globally — U.S. officials need to be exposing the CCP's climate farce, not parroting their talking points," Hinson said.
Hinson sent a letter to Granholm Tuesday demanding that the secretary provide context to back up her claim at the conference given that China's greenhouse gas emission levels have made the country the "top carbon dioxide producer in the world."
In addition, she is asking for the department to provide information on steps it has taken to counter the human rights abuses perpetrated by the CCP.
Hinson also asked whether the secretaries of defense and state are concerned by the "pro-CCP" rhetoric by Granholm, and if it is dangerous to U.S. security.
A Department of Energy spokesperson told Fox News Digital in response: "It is an unfortunate fact that for years China and other countries have outpaced the United States in clean energy investments."
"But now, because of President Biden’s vision, the U.S. is positioned to be the most attractive place for clean energy investments— reshoring American jobs and strengthening our national security," the spokesperson continued.
Granholm's comments came after China recently hit its coal-production record last year. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, "55% of China’s energy" now comes from coal "compared to 11% in the U.S."
Fox News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
