Juan R. Palomo | 202.682.8114 | palomoj@api.org
WASHINGTON, September 28 – With the moratorium on Gulf of Mexico drilling still in place and Congress still in session, the American Petroleum Institute this week said it is extending its online “Rally for Jobs” march on Washington.
The virtual march is an extension of the rallies held in August and earlier this month in seven cities across the country to demonstrate to Congress that America’s jobs and economy depend on sound energy policy.
“The response to our rallies has been very positive and we’re approaching 200,000 participants in our virtual march,” explained Marty Durbin, API executive vice-president for government affairs. “Because of the overwhelming response, API decided to extend the rally for another week to send the strong signal that Congress needs for focus its attention on jobs – it’s the issue on everyone’s minds.”
“Despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of people have spoken out against unsound energy policy, including the moratorium on offshore drilling, the moratorium remains in place,” said Durbin. “And as long as Congress remains in Washington, we will continue to give more Americans the opportunity to speak out.”
The online Rally for Jobs is a virtual meeting place on the National Mall designed to expand on the 8,500 participants who attended seven on-the-ground rallies across the country in September.
In addition to everyday citizens, the virtual march has attracted leaders from other fields, such as Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Harry C. Alford, president and CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce and Greg Cohen, president of the American Highway Users Alliance.
The online Rally for Jobs started September 20 and was initially scheduled to run through September 24. Traffic to the rally site increased dramatically each day, Durbin said, with the number of visitors on the final day more than 11 times as great as the number the first day.
API represents more than 400 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America’s energy, supports more than 9.2 million U.S. jobs, accounts for 7.5 percent of the U.S. economy, and, since 2000, has invested nearly $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives, while reducing the industry’s environmental footprint.
Updated: September 28, 2010