Scalise: New report confirms 230,000 jobs would be created by increasing American energy exploration
Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise today issued the following statement after a newly released ISH Global Insight report highlighted the potential for job creation through offshore energy production in the Gulf of Mexico.
“This latest report confirms what we have said all along – that the only thing standing in the way of 230,000 new American jobs and billions in new revenue to pay down the debt is President Obama’s reckless permitorium that is still blocking American energy exploration,” Scalise said. “Ending the reckless permitorium once and for all will lower our debt and improve our economy by increasing American energy production while creating hundreds of thousands of good jobs, and it is time for the President to put clarity in the permitting process and allow people to go back to work exploring for American energy.”
According to the report, reducing the current backlog in the approval of drilling plans in the Gulf of Mexico would result in the creation of 230,000 American jobs in 2012 alone. One-third of these jobs would be created outside of the Gulf region, in states like California, Illinois, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
In addition to the thousands of new American jobs that would be created, the report also says this approach would:
• Result in nearly $12 billion in tax and royalty revenues to state and federal treasuries,
• Increase U.S. oil production to more than 400,000 barrels of oil per day, and
• Reduce the amount the U.S. sends to foreign governments for imported oil by an estimated $15 billion.
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Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113