Energy

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, this past week, we were in our districts to visit with our constituents, to learn from them and to celebrate America's Independence Day. Much of my time was focused on the issue of energy and the need for energy independence because constituents are concerned with the high costs of energy and how these costs are impacting their businesses and lives.

Republicans believe in an all-of-the-above approach for energy independence. Republicans believe that energy diversity leads to energy security, and there were plenty of examples in the district for me to visit.

In Boone, students from Appalachian State University's Solar Homestead Team showed me the home they are preparing for the 2011 Solar Decathlon competition to be held on The Mall here in Washington, D.C., in September. The Solar Homestead team is advancing renewable energy systems through research on phase change, material energy storage, the integration of solar photovoltaic panels, and concentrating solar thermal systems for domestic hot water. While much money has been invested in this project by both the public and the private sectors, the hope is that the research will result in the ability to utilize alternative, renewable energy sources that will be able to provide low-cost energy homes for those in need.

Clyde and Pat Colwell have developed Carolina Heritage Vineyard in Elkin, North Carolina, an energy-efficient small business which is benefiting from a taxpayer-funded solar system. The Colwells are very educated people who are retired from their first careers. Clyde served in the U.S. Marine Corps, earned his Ph.D., and served as a teacher, principal and superintendent. Pat earned her MBA and retired from IBM. However, while their graduate degrees were helpful in general, both of them returned to Surry Community College to earn associate degrees in viticulture so they could pursue developing their organic wine business. They work full time in the vineyards and on the winemaking process, and bring many skills to the area and to others in the business.

The Gilbert Hemric family farm in Hamptonville, North Carolina, where Gilbert Hemric and his family work hard on their poultry, cattle and tobacco farm, is a microcosm of the problems that this administration has created. Mr. Hemric made it very clear to me that the high cost of energy and regulatory burdens are having a negative impact on his business. The Hemrics are paying more and more for feed and for fuel to run their equipment. Because fuel costs have almost doubled since President Obama came to office, the Hemrics have not replaced two of the 10 workers they had last year. They can't afford to replace them.

At Holland Transfer in Statesville, CEO Jeff Harvey told me that the skyrocketing price of fuel and regulatory burdens are counterproductive to job creation and the growth of his business. The Harvey Family practices Christian values throughout its business, and has established nonprofits that feed the needy. When possible, they hire homeless people, which enables the homeless to leave shelters, but all this great work for the community depends on his business performing at a level that will allow him to continue contributing to the community.

As I visited with constituents during the Independence Day work period, one thing was clear: that we need another independence movement--independence from Middle Eastern oil.

Unfortunately, rather than pursuing energy independence, the Obama administration keeps fostering an energy dependence policy at the cost of American jobs, higher prices at the pump and at the cost of endangering our national security by making us more dependent on unstable Middle Eastern governments.

House Republicans have responded by introducing and passing four bills to increase our domestic energy production and to create American jobs, but the Senate has taken no action. Liberal Democrats are obstructing the opportunity for jobs for Americans, lower energy costs and a new era of independence.

It is time we declare independence from Middle Eastern oil and start using our own resources for the benefit of all Americans.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source