House Passes Flores' Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act

Statement

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 2728, the Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act, introduced by Congressman Bill Flores (R-Texas). This legislation prohibits the Interior Department from enforcing federal hydraulic fracturing regulations in any state that already has regulations and recognizes states' authority to regulate this type of activity. Following passage of H.R. 2728, Flores released the following statement:

"America is in the midst of a transformation in the way that we produce energy domestically. The shale energy boom has brought about an energy revolution which is powering our economic recovery and creating hundreds of thousands of well-paying American energy jobs. Energy from affordable, abundant and clean natural gas has also put our country in a position to make us once again globally competitive in manufacturing and grow good, middle class jobs from our manufacturing renaissance.

"States have been effectively regulating hydraulic fracturing on both government and privately owned lands for decades. They have consistently opposed the federal government trying to trump state expertise in this area. In order to protect American jobs and American energy production we must limit the federal government's ability slow down energy production on taxpayer owned federal lands with duplicative regulations and unnecessary red tape.

"The Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support, takes an important step toward reaffirming state's rights in determining energy production and protecting America's shale energy revolution. It will provide an important tool to grow American manufacturing jobs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the increased production and use of clean burning natural gas for America's energy needs.

"The American people are looking for Washington to be better stewards of taxpayer dollars and produce legislation that improves the lives of all Americans, not legislation that impedes progress by duplicating and complicating state efforts. Allowing states to continue to produce affordable energy in a safe, clean and reliable manner promotes efficiency, creates jobs and saves scarce taxpayer dollars."

Congressman Bill Flores represents the 17th District of Texas and is an entrepreneur, former energy executive, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and member of the House Budget, Natural Resources and Veterans' Affairs Committees.

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