U.S. Energy Empowers American Progress, Not Partisanship
Sam Winstel
Posted September 19, 2019
Borrowing a line from a presidential campaign gone by, we’ll point out that Democrats were for natural gas and oil before they were against it. See the clips below of President Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:
Our homegrown energy revolution is delivering abundant, affordable and reliable energy for American consumers and strengthening an industry that supports 10.3 million well-paying U.S. jobs. As the world’s No. 1 producer of natural gas and oil, the U.S. is increasingly energy self-sufficient, which reinforces our domestic economy, national security and climate leadership.
Natural gas is altering our energy equation, diversifying the fuel mix and incentivizing cleaner power generation. The U.S. has reduced carbon dioxide emissions to their lowest levels in nearly 25 years, largely due to coal-to-natural gas switching in electricity generation, a trend which has saved about 500 million tons of carbon dioxide globally since 2010.
As President Obama noted, not too many years ago:
“Nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy…The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy.”
And there’s opportunity to further develop our all-American energy assets. By expanding offshore natural gas and oil leasing in the Atlantic, Pacific and Eastern Gulf of Mexico the U.S. could create nearly 730,000 jobs and generate $150 billion in government revenue in 20 years. Advancing safe and responsible production today – by cutting red tape and accelerating energy permits – ensures security and prosperity for tomorrow.
Together, industry and government empower American energy leadership. President Obama rightly explained that natural gas doesn’t just “magically” appear, we have to encourage it – and when we do, American households, businesses and trading partners realize the benefits. The U.S. is simultaneously setting records for natural gas and oil production, energy export growth and emissions reductions, proving that progress is best achieved when industry-led innovation meets forward-thinking public policy.
About The Author
Sam Winstel is a writer for the American Petroleum Institute. He comes to API from Edelman, where he supported communications marketing strategies for clients across the firm’s energy and federal government practices. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Sam graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, and he currently resides in Washington, D.C.