Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Smith.

Texas has produced half of all new jobs in America in recent years. Even Time magazine noted how things are good in Texas. They call it maybe the future of America. The creation of many of these jobs in Texas would not be possible without hydraulic fracturing. Fracking is reaching previously untapped shale natural gas deposits, thereby increasing our Nation's natural gas supply and lowering the cost of energy for all Americans.

Seemingly unaware of all of the economic benefits of America's energy renaissance, the Obama administration has moved to regulate fracking on Federal lands and to spend millions of dollars in studies at the EPA, despite its safe usage in Texas for over 60 years.

The EPA is zero for three when it comes to hydraulic fracturing alarmism. Their allegations of groundwater contamination in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming all struck out after proper review and analysis.

That is why I support H.R. 2728, because it will leave the regulation of fracking up to the States. We care about our States more than any bureaucrat up in Washington, D.C., and one size doesn't fit all. Texas was environmentally friendly before being green was cool. This legislation also holds the EPA accountable to taxpayers by requiring that their multimillion-dollar study of hydraulic fracturing follow basic and widely agreed upon scientific processes. We have it right in Texas. They ought to leave us alone, and we will help create jobs and get this economy moving again.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source