House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement regarding the President’s State of the Union address:

“Despite President Obama’s repeated claims of making job creation and economic growth a priority, the reality is that he has actively chosen to ignore the economic potential and job opportunities that come with expanding American energy production and responsibly managing our Nation’s natural resources. While the President frequently attempts to take credit for the current increase in domestic energy production, this is happening in spite of his policies, not because of them. The only increase in American energy production is taking place on state and private lands. Energy production on federal lands has declined over the past five years, meaning we are losing out on countless opportunities for job growth.

“Since President Obama took office, incomes have dropped, more and more Americans are falling below the poverty line, and energy prices have surged – hurting hardworking American families who are struggling to get by. The House, with bipartisan support, has passed numerous pieces of legislation that will create millions of new American jobs, raise incomes, and grow the economy by expanding energy production in America. These common sense measures roll back burdensome federal regulations, open federal land currently closed to energy production, and allow local communities to actively manage their own land.

“If President Obama was serious about helping middle class families, he would work with House Republicans instead of constantly blocking our bipartisan efforts to create much-needed jobs, grow America’s economy, and lower energy prices. Instead of just talking about jobs, he should work to break the log-jam in the Senate and get our job-creating proposals signed into law.”

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