API praises House action to advance Interior-EPA Appropriations Act

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016 – The American Petroleum Institute applauded the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 5538, the Fiscal Year 2017 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. 

“The House passed bill will go a long way to creating American jobs by supporting the industry’s ability to explore, develop, transport and deliver the affordable energy that U.S. consumers rely upon,” said Louis Finkel, API executive vice president for government affairs. “This bill supports the continued advancement of the U.S. energy renaissance and provides an alternative vision from the attempts by the administration to force the U.S. to take a step backwards on energy policy. 

“As an industry, we are committed to solutions that are grounded in safety, science and the data. Avoiding short-sighted, burdensome regulations will help the U.S. avoid needless hurdles that could have serious unintended consequences on safety, the economy and American consumers.  

“Today, the U.S. is an energy superpower because of increased domestic oil and natural gas production both onshore and offshore. In addition, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, greenhouse gas emissions are at a 20-year low as a result of the increased use of clean-burning natural gas.”

API thanked leadership in the House of Representatives for supporting the Interior-EPA appropriations bill because it recognizes that forward-thinking energy policy will continue to rely on U.S. oil and natural gas production.

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 650 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 30 million Americans.