In case you missed it, Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) has been making news by calling out former Vice President Joe Biden’s plan to completely eliminate fossil fuels as an energy resource.
During the second round of 2020 Democratic Presidential debates last week, Biden called for the complete elimination of fossil fuels—including natural gas—as part of an energy policy that seeks more and more to cater to the socialist left-flank of his party.
Prior to the release of Biden’s ill-advised plan, Congressman Keller was already a leading voice of the benefits of Pennsylvania’s energy industry. Before the beginning of the summer work period, Congressman Keller testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the importance of Pennsylvania’s natural gas.
You can watch his testimony by clicking HERE or on the image below:
(Click image to play video)
Publishing an op-Ed in The Hill this week, Congressman Keller outlined the reasons why Vice President Biden’s plan is bad for the country:
[T]he complete elimination of fossil fuels spells more pain than just massive tax increases for working families.
It means weakening our national security by eliminating our ability to be energy independent, killing a thriving energy economy and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports, and stopping investment in rural America.
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One way to marginalize countries that do not like the United States is to bankrupt them.
The less we are forced to buy the energy exports from our foreign adversaries, the worse their economy becomes, and the less they are able to exert influence over us.
For example, last year, Massachusetts was forced to import natural gas from Russia due to New York’s refusal to put in place pipeline infrastructure that can get natural gas to markets where it is needed.
Those concerned about Russian interference need to be concerned with Russia’s ability to influence our country when Americans are forced to buy natural gas from Russian gas companies and when countries like Russia have leverage to increase the price of natural gas in the winter time and turn the lights off for millions of Americans.
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On any given day in my Congressional district, natural gas companies produce between one-tenth and one-twentieth of the entire nation’s natural gas supply. The district is also home to two of the largest natural gas producing counties in the country.
In Pennsylvania, the natural gas industry supports more than 300,000 jobs, contributes $45 billion to the commonwealth’s economy, and saves the average household $1,100 every year in energy costs.
This means more financial security for families, making day-to-day life more affordable.
The natural gas industry has created good-paying jobs and injected new life into our local economies as energy companies continue to partner with local communities to invest in schools and higher education, improve our infrastructure, and grow down-stream jobs.
This means more financial security for families, making day-to-day life more affordable.
The natural gas industry has created good-paying jobs and injected new life into our local economies as energy companies continue to partner with local communities to invest in schools and higher education, improve our infrastructure, and grow down-stream jobs.
Last Friday, in an interview with WOLF Fox 56, Congressman Keller brought right to the people of central and northeastern Pennsylvania—areas positively impacted by the natural gas industry—the problems with Joe Biden’s radical plan to eliminate fossil fuels, including fracking for natural gas:
[Keller’s] also watched the Democratic Presidential debates and he didn’t hear a lot of great ideas from the candidates.
“Vice President Biden talking about getting rid of fossil fuels and no fracking. It would affect our national security. If we want to stop Russia, let’s develop our energy,” he said.
Congressman Keller also discussed the issue of the negative effects of Vice President Biden’s plan to completely eliminate fossil fuels with the Wyoming County Chamber, as reported in the Wyoming County Examiner:
Keller said he had already pointed out that the impact of not allowing Marcellus shale gas go through New York has meant that places in New England were buying from Russian tankers.
“We have already called out New York for being a rogue state,” Keller said. “Beyond the business impacts, there are national security interests at stake, when your policy has you buying from your enemy rather than your neighbor.”
You can read Congressman Keller’s op-Ed in The Hill in full HERE.
You can see Congressman Keller’s full interview with WOLF Fox 56 HERE.
You can read the full story from Congressman Keller’s visit to Wyoming County HERE.
