U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Member Jeff Landry (R, LA-03) issued the following opening statement at today's Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2360 -- the Providing for Our Workforce and Energy Resources Act (POWER Act), H.R. 2752 -- the BLM Live Internet Auctions Act, and H.R. 2803:
"Thank you, Chairman Lamborn and Ranking Member Holt, for holding this hearing on these important pieces of legislation. Thank you to the Committee staff, as well, for your help getting this legislation to a hearing. Thank you to Dr. Orgeron and Mr. Higgins for making the trip up here as well.
As the Representative and a lifelong resident of Louisiana's Gulf Coast -- the cradle of offshore energy development -- I have learned firsthand how American technology and American ingenuity can create thousands of jobs not only in Louisiana, but also throughout our great country. And, at a time when our nation faces an average of 9.1% unemployment, this is exactly the kind of legislation we need to pass. We must increase opportunity for Americans to find employment.
Soon after Louisianans began drilling in the Gulf in the 1950s, Congress passed the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to provide certainty to the drilling industry and the Federal government and to ensure U.S. laws applied to offshore oil and gas development. Since then, the oil and gas industry has been the lifeblood of our economy -- creating jobs and fostering innovation.
We, Democrats and Republicans, agree the same success can -- and must -- be achieved with renewable energy in order to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. To do so, we should employ the same playbook that has worked so well for fossil fuel development. To this end, we must level the playing field for energy development of all sorts -- fossil fuels and renewable energy.
The POWER Act will do just that -- level the playing field. It updates the OCSLA to apply all U.S. laws to 21st Century energy production. As we pursue an all of the above energy policy, our laws must follow suit. By applying the same set of laws to all energy development, we ensure our workers continue to be the safest in the world, increase job opportunities for those standing in the unemployment line, and improve regulatory certainty -- something every industry wants to see from its government.
This bill language has been supported by Democrats and Republicans alike. This same language was included in Congressman Rahall's CLEAR Act last Congress and is also in Mr. Markey's bill. I think this is something we all can agree on. With the POWER Act, we can get the government back on the side of American ingenuity, American energy, and American workers."