[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16450]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION IS THE SOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, rural Pennsylvania, like 
other parts of the country, have not been immune to difficult economic 
times; but today Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to become a source 
of growth and strength for our State, the region, and the Nation 
through the development of what could be one of the world's largest 
natural gas fields, the Marcellus shale, much of which is located in my 
congressional district.
  Marcellus production is offering our region and the country expanded 
access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy--and a new source of 
economic growth and stable jobs.
  As Congress tackles challenges regarding jobs and the deficit, we 
must consider domestic energy production as a logical and obtainable 
solution to both of these challenges, for the United States has 
enormous untapped deposits of coal, oil, natural gas, and other sources 
of energy that can offer good-paying jobs, new sources of revenue, 
affordable and reliable energy, as well as national energy security.
  The economic success story of the Marcellus shale can be replicated 
across this country by opening up all of America's domestic resources 
and allowing new investment and technologies to expand the exploration 
and production of America's own resources.
  We can develop these resources, create jobs and tens of billions of 
dollars in revenues, but only if the Federal Government encourages and 
not discourages production. I'm not talking about a Solyndra-style 
subsidy but, rather, government's getting out of the way of accessing 
the natural resources that God has blessed us with.

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