From Congressman Francisco Canseco
Higher energy costs effectively put a cap on the opportunities of Americans.
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON DC Whether hitting the road to take a family vacation or simply running the air conditioner to help beat back the heat American family budgets across the nation are being squeezed by high energy prices. Unfortunately the squeeze from high energy prices is coming on top of the strain family budgets were already under because of the lackluster performance of the economy and the continued high rate of unemployment. With family budgets under strain American families are left with a reduced ability to spend on their priorities like buying a home sending their kids to college or saving up the money needed to start a small business. Higher energy costs effectively put a cap on the opportunities of Americans.
Simple economics tells us that if we want to decrease the price of energy we need to increase its supply. As a nation we have been blessed with the means to produce more American energy and do just that. We have plentiful reserves of crude oil natural gas coal and other fuels. We have a landscape that allows us to produce solar wind hydropower and geothermal energy. We also have allies like Canada that have vast reserves of energy and are trying to get it to the marketplace in the United States.
Unfortunately there are many roadblocks put into place by the federal government that prevent us from taking advantage of these energy resources we have and producing more energy. There are vast areas of the nation with plentiful known reserves of energy like Arctic Alaska and deepwater areas off the U.S. coast that have been placed off-limits to energy exploration and production in federal law. In other instances like on federally-owned land onshore while energy production is allowed the cost of complying with voluminous federal regulations and obtaining the necessary permits discourage it.
Or in the case of the Keystone XL pipeline which is designed to bring crude oil from Canada to market in the United States the Obama Administration has has repeatedly said no when it comes to the construction of the Keystone Pipeline which would create an estimated 20000 jobs in America despite the fact that the Keystone XL pipeline has fulfilled all environmental requirements and was found in the State Departments final analysis to have no significant impact on the environment.
The American people understand that producing more American energy will help lower energy prices. Unfortunately Washington just doesnt seem to get it. To overcome Washington it will take the voice of the American people penetrating through the thick marble walls in our nations capitol. To help Washington get the message I co-hosted an event with Congressman Conaway in the Permian Basin last week as part of the House Energy Action Teams (HEAT) 2012 American Energy and Jobs Tour."
This event which included a visit to an oil drilling rig site and a hydraulic fracturing site in the Permian Basin was held to draw attention to the vast energy resources our nation possesses. This event also included a roundtable attended both by energy producers AND energy consumers which overwhelmingly told me and several other congressmen in attendance how important it is for more American energy to be produced and for the federal government to stop being a hindrance.
It is ironic that the Obama Administration one of the hurdles in Washington preventing greater production of American energy understands that a greater supply of energy in the market means a decrease in costs for Americans. This understanding is illustrated by their repeated attempts to withdrawal oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower energy prices. Its confusing then when this administration implements policies that discourage and in some cases inhibit more American energy production.
For too long America has failed to take advantage of the energy resources we posses. This has left American families paying the price in the form of higher energy costs and limited opportunities. The time has come to begin putting in place policies that will result in the greater production of American energy and stop making American families pay the heavy price for Washingtons inaction.
A former small business owner and lifelong Texan Congressman Canseco proudly represents the 23rd District of Texas. You may contact Congressman Canseco at: http://canseco.house.gov
