Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House Ways & Means Committee, testified at a House Oversight Committee hearing with energy industry executives. During the hearing, Democrats demonized the oil and gas industry to distract the American people from their destructive policies that are killing the pocketbooks of American families. Rep. Brady highlighted the industry’s track record of providing clean affordable energy, empowering all Americans, and improving the quality of life here in the U.S. and around the world.
CLICK HERE to watch Rep. Brady's remarks.
Remarks:
“Thank you, Ranking Member Comer for having me this morning and Chairwoman Maloney, and thank you to America’s affordable energy leaders for joining us today.
American-made energy boasts an enviable track record of hiring, training, promoting and empowering all Americans. I’ve seen this firsthand, where our energy companies are providing good paying jobs, quality health care and secure retirement for workers from the lowest skills to the brightest researchers in the world—with remarkable opportunities for women and people of color.
The success of this industry isn’t just important to my state of Texas, but important to the success of our nation—where we recognize that good-paying jobs and rising paychecks do so much more to lift Americans out of poverty than the promise of never-ending government checks.
Today’s disappointing economic report points out why good-paying energy jobs should be protected. Today’s report was awful, and if you take out the inventories, America’s growth last quarter was zero. The President is a disturbing zero-for-three in meeting quarterly projections for growth this year, even with expectations dumbed down in some cases by 80% or more.
The President’s best economic growth peaked last spring, and he remains nearly a million jobs short of his promises. He’s making an alarming labor shortage worse for Main Street businesses, and is demanding more government stimulus that will drive prices up higher and longer.
Too many Americans have lost faith, and the President now faces serious questions about his competency to heal our economy.
Part of that is due to a relentless attack on American energy workers by the Administration and this Democratic Congress – a taxation and regulatory attack that could kill over a million and a half good-paying American energy jobs over time and drive prices even higher for struggling families and Main Street businesses.
Ironically, for an Administration that has made climate change a central focus, these attacks damage the very industry that holds the key to addressing greenhouse gas emissions around the world in a smart way that raises the standard of living here in America and in our poorer nations as friends.
The solution to climate change isn’t to drive energy prices up higher for everyone and kill off American energy jobs. That’s flat earth thinking.
The smart solution is to make affordable energy cleaner through technology and exporting American technology tax and tariff free to help the entire world solve our climate challenges.
This industry has already proven it can increase production of American energy to meet our growing demand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This industry continues to invest more in research, innovation and technology to make affordable energy cleaner than any other industry.
Instead of vilifying them and trying to end their existence, Congress should be working with them to accelerate this technology and clear the path for sharing it with the world.
Renewables do play a big role in reducing emissions, but natural gas is the real bridge to the future.
Since the major shift away from coal to natural gas, the U.S. has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 32% more.
Affordable energy is the way to lift Americans out of poverty. It’s the key to ensuring that lower- and middle-income Americans can grow and thrive.
Instead of demonizing the very industry whose success has made our country independent and secure, instead of raising energy prices on those who can least afford it, let’s empower America’s innovators, let’s rebuild the momentum we made in unleashing LNG and crude oil exports, and use that success to make America a leader in discovering new clean energy technology.
There is a smart way to transition to a cleaner energy future, and it’s time both political parties in Congress join forces with these energy leaders to achieve it.
With that, Ranking Member Comer, I yield back.”
