Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

When I travel around the state, I often hear about one issue that hits every Kansan's pocketbook - the high cost of energy. Most of us have to drive to go to work, school, church, and to shop for groceries. We use energy to heat our homes during cold Kansas winters and to cool us off during the long hot summer. We calculate our budgets and prioritize expenses to factor in these expenses.

Energy is a commodity upon which homeowners and businesses rely. As a commodity, energy prices fluctuate. Unfortunately, changes in the global energy market have made energy prices more volatile. As highly populated countries like China and India consume more energy, global demand for oil and gas will continue to grow. Simple economics teaches us that as demand grows and supply remains steady, prices will increase.

In order to stabilize energy prices, we need to find new energy resources at home to increase our supply. With this in mind, I support the exploration and production of our oil and natural gas resources in both Alaska and the lower 48 states, greater development of our vast offshore energy supplies, and expanded access to crude from Canadian oil sands through the immediate construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Approval of this project makes sense from an environmental, economic, and national security perspective.

In addition to finding new sources of fossil fuels, we need to look to renewable resources to help meet our energy needs. As these examples show, Kansas plays a vital role in the renewable energy industry in this regard. Kansas is home to 11 operating ethanol plants with many more in development. Currently ranked 9th in the nation, Kansas produces 440 million gallons of ethanol per year. Additionally, as most Kansans know, the Great Plains and prairies provide a plentiful amount of wind. Several utility companies have come to realize this and have invested in wind energy in Kansas.

I will continue to support policies that reduce our nation's dependence upon foreign sources of energy. As our nation grows, so too must our vision for supplying our energy needs.

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