Chairman Hastings often speaks of direct and indirect job creation associated with increased American energy production. On Thursday, September 29, a prime example of this type of job creation came from Exxon Mobil with welcomed applause from hardworking Pennsylvania shipbuilders. Exxon announced the construction of two new “Liberty Class” tankers that will be used to transport Alaska North Slope crude oil to refineries on the West Coast and built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. The construction of these two new state of the art vessels will create more than 1,000 direct jobs in Pennsylvania and provide significant local economic benefits.

America can sit idly by, become more dependent on the rest of the world for energy and watch job after job get shipped overseas or we can enact pro-energy policies that will create American jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign energy and make the United States more secure. There’s no doubt which side of the debate the 1,000 Pennsylvania shipbuilders are on.