AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION CAN LOWER COSTS, CREATE JOBS by Congressman Phil Roe

Sep 27, 2014

AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION CAN LOWER COSTS, CREATE JOBS.

This week, we should pause to say a prayer for the men and women, who serve overseas and put their lives on the line, to protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Regardless of our views of what is occurring, we all hope our service members will return safely to their families.

Amid the chaos in the Middle East, President Obama discussed his administration’s efforts on climate change, at a United Nations meeting earlier this week. For the past six years, this administration has engaged in aggressive efforts, to implement a cap-and-tax carbon emissions control system, end coal production, and usage by regulation, and slow down oil production, and transport applications, including the Keystone XL pipeline. Clearly, the administration has made a divisive agenda their priority, instead of ensuring we have an abundance of American energy, in an increasingly unstable world.

We need domestic energy for both our national and economic security. Just last week, the House passed a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy package, aimed at encouraging North American energy production. This package, the American Energy Solutions, for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act,, includes fourteen energy bills and will help create jobs, lower the cost of energy for hardworking families, and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The House has previously acted on all these bills individually, but they are sitting with Harry Reid in the Senate,, collecting dust, because the Senate refuses to act. This bill would address energy production in three important ways.

First, the package modernizes energy infrastructure, by ensuring the Keystone pipeline moves forward. It also reforms the permitting process for natural gas pipelines, so that all licenses, approvals, and permits, required under federal law are considered in a timely fashion. Additionally, it creates a new approval process for oil and gas pipelines that cross our borders, into Canada or Mexico.

Next, the bill targets the Environmental Protection Agency’s war on coal. It would prohibit the EPA from finalizing rules, related to energy that would cost more than $1 billion to implement. It also ensures that any new rules put forward by the EPA, relating to power plants, are attainable with current technology, ensuring that the economy doesn’t suffer when companies can’t meet unrealistic goals.

Finally, the bill opens up the energy resources, —both fossil fuels, and renewables, —we have right here at home, by requiring the administration to move forward with new offshore energy production. The Obama Administration has held up leases that have been otherwise approved, causing uncertainty and frustration. This bill would provide clarity, to energy producers while also ensuring no administration can stop production for political reasons, in the future. The bill also provides, expedited approval for natural gas exports to World Trade Organization countries.

This package is just one example of the steps the House is taking to promote jobs, and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. I am hopeful that the bipartisan support behind these bills in the past, and the comprehensive nature of this measure, will finally push the Senate to act. Now is the time to unleash North American energy, and lower costs for the American people. Please rest assured, I will continue to support legislation to move us toward, a true all-of-the-above energy policy that will help lower costs and create jobs.

Feel free to contact my office if we can be of assistance to you or your family. Our contact information can be found on our website, www.roe, dot, house, dot, gov.

United States Congressman, Phil Roe, M.D. serving the 1st district of Tennessee!