Energy

Floor Speech

ENERGY -- (House of Representatives - March 17, 2009)

(Mr. CASSIDY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. Speaker, as regards to energy, I'm an all-of-the-above-type person. We need a diversity of energy sources. But we will not be carbon free for generations. Our need for plastics, fertilizers, lubricants, and fuels so dictates.

So given the fact that we're not going to be carbon free, it seems like domestic energy production should be encouraged. If we've got to have something, it's better for us to buy it from ourselves, for our workers, for the money to stay here.

In Louisiana alone, my home State, oil and gas production in the petrochemical industry employs 320,000 people. They work as welders, pipe-fitters, on barges, engineers. Countless small businesses with another 100,000 or so workers. Yet the President's budget contains at least eight separate tax hikes specifically targeting domestic oil and gas production.

Tax hikes create uncertainty, uncertainty creates caution, and caution inhibits economic activity. As we seek energy security and to create and preserve American jobs, I have to ask why are we punishing the industry which contributes both?

Source