A group of House Republicans is urging Democrats not to compromise American energy independence in the infrastructure package.
They made their comments in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. on Thursday.
"Skyrocketing gas prices are just the beginning of what's to come with Dems' policies aimed at destroying the oil & gas industry," Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas said in a tweet. "Working families will feel the greatest pain. I led a letter with 55 of my colleagues urging Dems not to compromise American energy independence."
In the letter, which was also addressed to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the Republicans said: "There is bipartisan agreement on the need to improve our nation's roads and bridges, broadband connectivity and energy infrastructure to keep our economy moving forward.
"Despite significant areas of agreement, another partisan approach is being contemplated to ram through a lengthy list of progressive policies and backbreaking tax increases.
"Many of these proposed and devastating tax hikes are punitive measures targeting the oil and gas sector and the 11 million high-paying jobs supported by the industry.
"It's one thing for policies to accelerate investment activity or production of certain products, but it is an entirely different matter to write laws that would punish a particular industry, especially one that is so fundamental to our economic growth and national security.
"Using an 'infrastructure' package to weaken our energy infrastructure is a grave mistake that will hurt families, farmers, and small business still recovering from the pandemic."
The representatives maintained the oil and gas industries "are being singled out, targeted and denied the same treatment that is available to every industry in the U.S. economy."
They said before "waging war on the oil and gas sectors officials should remember that the industry supplies nearly 70% of America's energy needs at a low cost for millions of families, as household energy costs have decreased 15% in the last decade alone."
They maintained that "'policymakers' should not be picking winners and losers, and if the oil and gas industry is truly the ‘loser' that far left progressives want it to be, the market should decide.
The representatives concluded: "Our nation has been blessed with abundant and affordable energy resources that have been a driving force of job growth and have given America economic advantages over totalitarian foreign competitors. We urge you to put American families ahead of special interest in any legislative package and work with us to accelerate our economic growth."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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