In response to the Department of Labor’s report that 85,000 jobs were lost in December and the national employment rate remains at 10-percent, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today in advance of the President’s announcement of government funding to help create green jobs:

“President Obama is responding to today’s report of continued 10% unemployment by announcing government funding to help create green energy jobs. Our nation should pursue green energy jobs, but we also need to be creating jobs in every energy sector. America needs green jobs, and we need nuclear, wind, solar, oil, natural gas, hydropower, mining, and manufacturing jobs.

With tens of thousands of Americans losing their jobs each month, we need all types of energy jobs and can’t afford government elites in Washington, D.C. that are focused only on creating the types of green jobs they deem desirable.

This Administration has used millions in government spending to pursue green jobs, while at the same time promoting job-killing policies that harm existing energy jobs. In the last year, the Administration has moved to block offshore drilling, pushed for a new National Energy tax, cancelled existing oil and gas leases, withdrew shale research and development leases, proposed billions in higher taxes on energy production, and just this week erected more red-tape and bureaucracy into American-made energy on federal lands.

Republicans believe we must pursue an all-of-the-above energy plan that creates all types of energy jobs, including green energy jobs. It’s time for President Obama to support Republicans’ American Energy Act that will create millions of new jobs and put us on the path towards greater energy independence.”

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