T. Boone Pickens Touts Larson's Natural Gas Bill Before Ways And Means Committee

Press Release

T. Boone Pickens Touts Larson's Natural Gas Bill Before Ways And Means Committee

Today, former oilman and businessman T. Boone Pickens voiced his strong support for Congressman John B. Larson's (CT-01) NAT GAS Act (H.R. 1835) that will put thousands of American workers at the forefront of a uniquely American clean energy economy, boost the production of domestic energy, and help break our addiction to foreign oil.

Congressman Larson, the Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said, "This legislation is about protecting America's national and economic security. Right now, like drug-users paying a dealer, we are exporting dollars overseas to feed our addiction to foreign oil. As a result, our economy and the safety of our citizens are subject to the whims of foreign, and often unfriendly, governments. By boosting our use of natural gas we are creating hundreds of thousands of American jobs building trucks, heavy equipment and infrastructure. We are also tapping into American energy resources, safe from foreign interference, to fuel cars and trucks for decades to come."

In his testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, Pickens stressed the importance of weaning the U.S. off of foreign oil and increasing domestic energy production. He said (from prepared testimony), "Natural gas is an excellent example of how we can create green jobs -- not just as a public works effort -- but as a commercially viable, long-term enterprise which will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, add permanent high-paying jobs to the American roster and which will allow the United States to claim its rightful place in doing the right thing to improve the global environment."

The legislation would increase the use of natural gas in heavy duty vehicles by providing tax credits and incentives to people who buy them. It will create 600,000 American jobs and spur investment in the American energy industry.

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