House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings released the following statement regarding President Obama’s Address to the Joint Session of Congress:

“I share President Obama’s belief that our nation will overcome today’s challenges, and come out of this recession with a stronger economy and a brighter future.

President Obama noted that we import more oil than ever before. That is why must tap into our own resources to produce more energy and develop a cleaner, cheaper, more diverse energy system. At a time when families and business are struggling to make ends meet, it’s not responsible for the federal government to keep ignoring the economic benefits that will come with domestic energy production, including the creation over a million new high-paying jobs and an influx of new revenue to our country and states.

We should start by developing the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, where for the first time in decades we have the potential to tap our vast amounts of domestic oil and gas resources in a safe, environmentally responsible way. I hope the President recognizes the economic benefits that exist with offshore drilling and will work to quickly bring an end to the delays on OCS leasing recently announced by the Interior Department.

By developing an all-of-the-above energy plan we can simultaneously reduce our dependence on foreign-controlled oil and provide new jobs that will help revive and sustain our economy.”

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