Rahall Stifles Domestic Energy, Leading to Higher Gas Prices & Lost Jobs

March 24, 2011

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Mark Critz (PA-12), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Gary Peters (MI-09), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

Burdensome Democrat Regulations Threaten Economy with Higher Gas Prices

Washington — With rising gas prices threatening the struggling economy, West Virginia Democrat Nick Rahall has taken no meaningful action to improve the situation for West Virginia families. Despite the great need for job creation and reenergizing the economy, Rahall continues to stifle domestic energy production with burdensome regulation, destroying jobs and letting gas prices rise.

“Instead of working to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices, Nick Rahall continues to stand by big-government policies which are keeping prices high and destroying jobs instead of creating them,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Burdening domestic energy producers with red tape will not combat rising gas prices in West Virginia or reduce our dependency on foreign oil. However, that is exactly what Rahall is siding with as he fails to step up while his Democrat leaders continue to make things worse.”

The Obama Administration continues to practically keep offshore energy production at a halt:

“‘The fact that we’re still at the point where the federal government issues press releases when they issue a permit, that tells you where we are in permitting,’ said Jim Noe, executive director of the pro-drilling Shallow Water Energy Security Coalition. ‘It used to be a day-to-day affair, not a day that deserves a press release,’ Noe added.” (Darren Goode, “Interior turns page on offshore drilling,” Politico, 3/23/11)

LSU Professor Joseph Mason testified at a House Energy and Commerce hearing last week that the production moratorium and the Obama Administration’s reluctance to resume energy production have cost over 13,000 jobs and $1.1 billion in wages lost:

“At least 13,000 jobs have been lost since last summer’s moratorium on offshore oil production, surpassing projected job losses in a 2010 study by thousands, according to the Louisiana State University professor who authored the study.” (Christopher Goins, “19,000 Jobs Worth $1.1 Billion in Wages Lost Nationally Since Offshore Drilling Moratorium Imposed,” CNS News, 3/21/11)

Even though indicators are showing a perilous economic situation:

“New single-family home sales unexpectedly fell in February to hit a record low, and prices were the lowest since December 2003, a government report showed on Wednesday, suggesting the housing market slide was deepening.” (“Sales of new homes plunge to record low,” Reuters, 3/23/11)

Despite the fact that the fragile economy is severely threatened by rising energy costs, Nick Rahall continues to push for policies which instead make things worse. As gas prices compound with the economic difficulties his constituents in West Virginia face, will Rahall continue to stifle domestic energy production?

Nick Rahall for Congress

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