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Source: U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, 6/27/12
This week during The Ag Minute, guest host Rep. Scott Tipton discusses how the Republican-led House is working to create jobs and expand American energy production through the passage of the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (H.R. 4480). The U.S. House of Representatives approved this legislative package last week in a bipartisan vote of 248 to 163. Rep. Tipton's Planning for American Energy Act (H.R. 4381) was one of the bills included in the package, which is designed to create jobs, establish energy security, and provide relief from high energy costs for our agricultural producers and rural communities. Agriculture is an energy-intensive industry and is particularly affected by high energy costs.
The transcript is below.
"With high energy costs, these challenging economic times have been even tougher for farming and ranching communities. From planting, to harvesting and transporting, it takes a good amount of fuel to put food on the tables of American families.
"With bipartisan support, the House recently passed the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, which would establish a true all-of-the-above domestic energy plan, putting into place common sense steps to create a framework for using federal lands to responsibly meet America’s energy needs. By producing domestic energy resources, we have an opportunity to create a secure and reliable energy supply, keeping costs low and predictable.
"I’m proud that I was able to make an important contribution to the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act by including the Planning for American Energy Act which uses a common sense criteria—the needs of the American people—to meet our country’s energy needs.
"This legislation would establish production goals for an all-of-the-above domestic energy plan that includes wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, oil and oil shale, natural gas, coal and minerals.
"This common sense legislation is on the doorstep of the Senate, and I urge them to swiftly pass it.
"We can jumpstart American job creation, create energy security in this country, and provide relief from high energy costs for our agriculture producers, families, and businesses."
The Ag Minute is Chairman Lucas's weekly radio address that is released from the House Agriculture Committee.
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