House GOPs American Energy Initiative Provides Relief for Families & Small Businesses Struggling With Skyrocketing Gas Prices, Helps Create Jobs

Congressman John Boehner
April 12, 2011

Last night, all three network evening newscasts led with the story American families and businesses know all too well: Gas Prices Hit Budget-Busting Highs, Rising Gas Prices May Slow Economic Recovery, Gas Prices Skyrocket. A recent survey released by The Hill found rising gas prices are fueling economic anxiety; in fact, two-thirds of Americans expect high gas prices to cause them financial hardship in the next six months according to recent Associated Press/GfK survey.

The Republican-led American Energy Initiative is an ongoing effort to address these concerns by stopping Washington policies that are driving up gas prices and expanding American energy production to help lower costs and create jobs.  The effort will get a boost this week when the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Energy & Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and the House Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Rep. Doc Hasting (R-WA), take action on four pending American Energy Initiative bills: 

• On Wednesday, the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Energy & Power will hold a hearing on the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act.  This legislation, put forth by Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO), will help increase domestic energy production on the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf.  According to the University of Alaska, the projected increase in U.S. production could offset foreign oil imports by 7 percent, create 40,000 to 50,000 jobs annually, and provide a vital source of additional throughput for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) one of our most significant oil arteries in North America. (Energy & Commerce Background Memo, 4/11/11)

• Also on Wednesday, the Natural Resources Committee will vote on the Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act, the Reversing President Obamas Offshore Moratorium Act, and the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act legislation that will reverse the Obama Administrations job-crushing de facto moratorium on American energy production.  In a previous hearing held on these proposals, experts and job creators spoke out against the moratorium, and the devastating impact it is having on U.S. energy production and job creation particularly in the economically hard-hit Gulf Coast.  According to one expert, increasing production along all U.S. Outer Continental Shelf areas would create 1.19 million new jobs.

With the price of gas already reaching 30-month highs and still on the rise it is clear American families and small businesses need relief from the big pains theyre feeling at the pump.  With the American Energy Initiative, the new House majority will continue working to roll back the Obama Administration policies that are driving up the price of gasoline, increase domestic energy production and help create jobs.  Learn more and follow our progress at: http://facebook.com/americanenergy.