Rep. Pfluger fights for Permian Basin Producers
U.S. Representative August Pfluger (TX-11) delivered an impassioned speech on the House Floor in defense of American energy producer.
“Madam Speaker,
I rise today to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately pass the American Energy Independence from Russia Act.
I’d like to thank Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers for her leadership on this.
Really, the question is simple. I think we’re missing the point.
The question here is: is the President of the United Sates going to pick America, or is he going to pick our enemies?
That is the debate. Step one [banning Russian oil imports] is great, and I am glad that we are going to support Ukraine. I was there five weeks ago. We need to support Ukraine.
Step two—is we need the
President to support America.
Energy security is National security.
Mr. President, it’s time to put Midland over Moscow.
Unfortunately, that security has been under assault for decades, but most recently beginning on January 20th of 2021. The Administration is leading the assault on energy.
The reality is that American energy is the cleanest in the world. But the President, and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle refuse to acknowledge that fact and unleash [it]. Instead, they are choosing, the President is choosing our adversaries—terrorists—and begging them to produce more, when we could do it right here.
Instead of calling the 10 million Americans who do it every single day, we are outsourcing production to adversaries like Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and they’re harming our environment even more.
The war on Ukraine is horrifying and heartbreaking. When I sat with President Zelensky, he said that the impetus to invade his country came from the fact that Nord Stream [II] existed.
Our President greenlighted Nord Stream [II] but cancelled the Keystone [XL] pipeline.
Right now, today, there are six LNG terminals that the President, with a stroke of a pen, could approve. Are we going to pick the United States of America or are we going to pick our adversaries?
The United States of American should not be energy dependent, we should be energy dominant.
Put Midland Over Moscow. Resume the Keystone [XL] pipeline, unleash American LNG, restart oil and gas leasing on federal lands, and protect our own country. Pick our own country.
With that, I yield back.”
Rep. Pfluger Introduces the Energy Freedom Act to Make America Energy Dominant
Tuesday, March 15th, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the Energy Freedom Act, the House companion to Senator Ted Cruz’s bill, which will restore American energy dominance. The legislation accelerates federal permitting for energy projects and pipelines, mandates new onshore and offshore oil and gas lease sales, approves pending LNG export licenses, and speeds up all forms of American energy development.
Representative August Pfluger: “President Biden willingly gave away American energy independence with his assault on the oil and gas industry. Russia’s war on Ukraine, emboldened by their control over the global energy market, should be a wake-up call to us all. I’m proud to work with Senator Cruz on this legislation to stop President Biden’s assault on our oil and gas industry. We are push ing to not only make America energy independent, but energy dominant.”
What the Energy Freedom Act does:
• Prohibits the president from unilaterally enacting leasing bans on federal lands.
• Eliminates the presidential permit requirement for crossborder energy projects.
• On federal lands and waters:
-Mandates the onshore and offshore oil, gas, wind, solar, and geothermal lease sales which have been “paused” since January 2021;
-Expedites permitting and adds certainty to the scope of environmental reviews; and
-Reduces foreign dependence on critical minerals by expanding access and streamlining permitting.
• Requires FERC and the Department of Energy to review permits to export LNG within 60 days and immediately approves permits pending to export LNG through 2025.
• Requires FERC and the U.S. Army Corps to complete permitting for interstate natural gas projects in one year or less and prohibits rejection of a natural gas pipeline if the project meets safety regulations.
• Ends regulatory uncertainty from certain Biden administration rulemakings by putting into law the:
-2020 EPA and U.S. Army Corps definition of Waters of the United States;
-2020 EPA methane rule;
-2021 valuation rule for oil and gas production on federal lands;
-2020 Council on Environmental Quality NEPA rule; and 2021 U.S. Army Corps Pipeline Rule (Nationwide Permit 12).
Pfluger Bill Prevents Russia from Giving Weapons to Iran
Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced H.R. 7139, the Removing Arms from Terrorists Through Sanctions Act, to prevent malign actors, like Russia, from transferring conventional weapons and missiles to Iran.
Representative August Pfluger: “President Biden is placing his trust in malign actors. He put the lives and safety of American citizens in the hands of terrorists in Afghanistan, is begging corrupt leaders in countries like Venezuela to fill our energy needs, and is now relying on Russia, that is currently waging a heinous war on Ukraine, to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran on our behalf. A resurrected Iran Deal is a major threat to the U.S., Israel, and our Arab allies. We must pursue policies that keep Americans safe.”
Pfluger’s legislation builds on a Trump-era executive order that imposes sanctions on individuals involved in transferring weapons to Iran. It counters Iran’s ability to gain access to weapons that can be distributed to their proxies, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Furthermore, this bill prevents rogue states, like Russia, from being able to collect revenue from these arms sales and expand their influence in the Middle East.
Pfluger Announces the 2022 Congressional Art Competition
The office of Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) is now accepting submissions for the 2022 Congressional Art Competition. The competition is open to all high school students in the 11th Congressional District of Texas, and is an opportunity for local artists to be recognized for their talents among artists from around the Nation.
The deadline is Monday, April 25, 2022. Students can register and upload images of their artwork on Congressman Pfluger’s website: pfluger.house.gov/ services/art-competition.
Prizes
• The artwork of the winning student will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year.
• Winners are eligible to receive a $3,000/year scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design, pending acceptance into the program.
• The art will be unveiled in a Congressional Reception in Washington, DC in late June (date TBD). Winners and one guest are invited to the unveiling.
Rules
Artwork must be two-dimensional and original in concept, design and execution. Art must follow the themes of Texas, American Patriotism, Agriculture, or Energy.
Dimensions of the artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
• Collages: must be two dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Computer-generated art
• Photographs
Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on Congressman Pfluger’s website. For more information, please visit <pfluger.house.gov/ services/art-competition>, or contact Cayssia David in the San Angelo Office at 325-659-4010 or by email <Cayssia.David@mail.house.gov>.