More than five thousand gather and call on Congress to focus on jobs, the economy in Texas rallies

HOUSTON, September 1, 2010 – More than 5,500 concerned citizens organized by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and other partners today attended three “Rally for Jobs” events held in Houston, Port Arthur and Corpus Christi.

Today’s rallies were an opportunity for the millions of men and women whose livelihoods depend on the oil and natural gas industry, as well as the countless consumers who rely on access to affordable energy, to express their concerns about  harmful proposals being considered in Congress. The Texas rallies were the first in a series of seven rallies that will take place in five states during the congressional recess period.

“Today energy citizens in Texas sent a clear signal to Congress that lawmakers should focus their efforts on reviving our economy and creating more jobs,” said API President and CEO Jack Gerard. “U.S. unemployment is high and Americans are increasingly concerned about the slow pace of economic recovery.”

The oil and natural gas industry supports more than 1.7 million jobs in Texas and accounts for almost 25 percent of the state’s economy.  Nationwide, the industry supports more than 9.2 million jobs, accounts for 7.5 percent of the U.S. economy, and has invested nearly $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects since 2000.  Oil and natural gas development is critical to the economic future of Texas and the entire nation.

“With these rallies, we are reminding Congress and the public of the vital role that oil and natural gas play, and will continue to play, in our nation’s energy and economic future,” Gerard said.  “We must ensure that policies are not implemented that would jeopardize jobs, threaten our nation’s energy security and limit our ability to produce the energy this country needs.”

Updated: September 1, 2010