Many years ago, policymakers were concerned with managing a scarcity of energy resources following the energy crisis of the Carter administration.
In a remarkable turnaround, America now has a surplus of energy resources, most notably the shale gas, which has energized the industry.
We are in the middle of an American energy boom. Our future is bright if we can rein in overly-burdensome government regulations.
As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, my colleagues and I are working to quickly transform the scarcity mindset into a surplus approach.
We must continue to take advantage of technology achievements in order to provide for a growing market that yields jobs at home and influence abroad.
But, why has the federal government reduced energy production on federal lands?
It is a fair question that demands an answer, and increasing America’s capacity to produce energy is a main crux of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s work. This committee, one I am honored to serve on, is doing big things. In addition to the 21st Century Cures Act, a holistic, bipartisan overhaul of the health care system to get cures and treatments more quickly to the marketplace (check out previous posts for more on that), the committee has also been working on the “Architecture of Abundance.”
The Architecture of Abundance has four pillars:
- Modernizing Infrastructure
- 21st Century Energy Workforce
- Energy Diplomacy for a Changing World
- Efficiency and Accountability
On modernizing our infrastructure, Chairman Upton notes:
“The United States is now the world’s leading energy producer, but our electrical grid and pipeline distribution system hasn’t kept pace. Developers are eager to invest in new projects to put people to work, but there is simply too much red tape slowing down the permitting and siting process."
The choking point for innovation, as usual, is the federal government. It’s no different in the energy sector. Public lands must be unlocked to allow the wealth of resources at our disposal to be safely and effectively utilized.
In the coming months, I expect the Architecture of Abundance to work its way through committee — this week the bill passed the Energy and Power Subcommittee unanimously — and I look forward to its eventual passage in the House of Representatives, where I believe it will remain a bipartisan bill throughout the legislative process.
As a nation, we need to safely harness the resources with which we have been blessed. The days of relying on the Middle East and hostile South American nations are on the verge of being behind us. Energy independence would have myriad benefits.
The real value in the Architecture of Abundance belongs to my constituents — cheaper energy means they will have more to spend on other things, or save it, or do whatever they want to with their money.
Reducing the costs of everyday necessities, like power, will make a big difference for the vast majority of Americans. Too many people are still struggling. More affordable energy would help them. Working on common-sense solutions to help my constituents by untangling government red tape is why I am in Washington. The goal of lower, more affordable energy is attainable. Through the Architecture of Abundance, I expect to take a substantive step toward achieving that goal.
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., was first elected to Congress in 2006.
