[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 65 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H2784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE HARD-WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE OIL FIELDS OF WEST TEXAS

  (Mr. CONAWAY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the hard-working 
men and women of the oil patches of west Texas. I have lived most of my 
life around those oil fields. I grew up in Odessa, Texas, where my dad 
was a roughneck. I have seen up close the hard work these good men and 
women do and the risks they face every day.
  These individuals, from wildcatters to roustabouts and roughnecks and 
company men and women, have led the charge in the American energy 
revolution. Each has played an integral part in rewriting America's 
energy story and changing our Nation's course toward energy 
independence.
  We have witnessed the impact of their strong entrepreneurial spirit 
and innovative technological advances that have grown our economy, 
created jobs, and bolstered our national security. We depend on their 
exhaustive and dangerous work to power our homes, pave our roads, fuel 
our cars, farm our lands, and everything in between that keeps this 
Nation running.
  It is imperative that Congress support energy policies that are as 
adaptive and innovative as these hard-working men and women. Our 
policies must cut through bureaucratic red tape to encourage 
exploration here at home, reduce job-killing regulations, and repeal 
the antiquated crude oil export ban of a bygone era.
  To that end, I am introducing H. Res. 243 that will pledge the 
House's support to these criteria. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
this show of support for a hard-working industry.

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