Response to President Obama on Climate Bill
Mark Green
Posted June 25, 2009
API shares President Obama's well-intentioned goal of having a comprehensive energy policy that grows the economy, creates jobs, promotes energy security and addresses climate change.
But independent analysis shows that the Waxman-Markey climate bill would burden American consumers and businesses with substantially higher energy costs. This is more than "a few postage stamps."
The House bill is a job killer. In a previous blog post, we referenced a recent CRA International study for the National Black Chamber of Commerce that estimates a net loss of over 2 million jobs a year. While we support creating new jobs, the legislation offers an unnecessary and false choice of eliminating good jobs in the oil and natural gas industry to create green jobs.
We can have both. We need to retain the good jobs we have in the oil and natural gas industry and create new jobs with the technologies described by the president because America will need all the energy it can get to fuel the economy of the future.
The House should take the time necessary to get this legislation right. API stands ready to work with policymakers and other stakeholders on a comprehensive energy policy that would provide increased access to domestic resources, including oil and natural gas, and address climate change.
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.