Working Toward American Energy Independence

Right now, our country is in the middle of an unprecedented energy boom—since 2008, domestic oil production has risen by more than 66 percent. Technological advances and new discoveries have made American energy independence by the end of the decade an attainable goal. In fact, we’ve gained access to more oil and natural gas in the past decade than ever before.

This energy is at the core of our lives—it touches everything we do, from the price of gasoline to the cost of groceries to our air-conditioning bills in August. We should always let our energy producers do what they do best: produce energy. It’s the only way to guarantee the benefits of affordable and accessible American energy. Unfortunately, President Obama, Senate Democrats, and an inert federal bureaucracy are pushing their anti-energy policies on the American people.

House conservatives are fighting back. We’ve already passed legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, speed up drilling permits, and increase production on federal lands. This week, we passed three bills that make energy more affordable, reliable, and accessible. The first, the “Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act,” will shorten the approval process for natural gas exports. The second, the “North American Energy Infrastructure Act,” would reform the approval process for oil and natural gas pipelines so we don’t experience any Keystone XL style delays in the future. The final bill, the “Lower Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act,” seeks to lower gasoline prices by increasing domestic onshore and offshore energy production.

President Obama claims to be committed to “a future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity are not tied to unstable parts of the world,” but his policies tell a much different story. Whether it’s through blocking the Keystone XL pipeline or using the EPA to enact new burdens on energy producers, President Obama’s actions not only jeopardize our economic recovery, but put us at the mercy of unfriendly foreign nations and threaten our national security.

America has abundant energy resources—coal, nuclear, renewables, oil, and natural gas. If the federal government would get out of the way, we could become an energy superpower. Texans know the key to economic success. We see this every day—low taxes, smart and limited regulations, and robust American energy production are the keys to our growth. As your Congressman, I will do everything in my power to fight Washington red tape and ensure that our successful, common-sense Texas policies are implemented nationally.