Texas Congressional leaders file bill to push back against President Biden's energy policies

HOUSTON - In light of President Joe Biden’s executive orders on climate change, Texas lawmakers are pushing back introducing bills to counter his directives. One local Congressman has introduced a bill to protect energy jobs in Texas. 

Last week, Biden signed a directive to temporarily stop new oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters.

In response, Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) is one of several Texas lawmakers that filed legislative action to push back against the President. The lawmakers introduced a bill called the Conservation Funding Protection Act that would ensure oil producers retain access to critical energy reservoirs on the Outer Continental Shelf. If passed, the bill would overrule Biden’s order. 

Weber argues the freeze could be detrimental to the state’s economy, which relies heavily on energy production, and affect thousands of Texas workers who are already struggling because of the pandemic.
    
"It kills jobs in Texas. We don't get to export as much energy as we've been. We have worked for years to try to be energy independent. And indeed energy dominant," Weber said.  

"Our District 14, on the Gulf coast of Texas, produces about 65% of the nation's jet fuel and about 20% the nation gasoline, east of the Rockies. We've got five ports," Weber continued. 

Last week, Governor Abbott also issued an executive order directing all state agencies to use their lawful powers and tools to challenge any federal actions that could hurt the energy industry in Texas. 

Beyond the Texas economy, Weber says the President’s directives also has geopolitical implications.  

"We've got a strong military and it's going to have to be based on fossil fuel's energy that's just the way it is. When we want to trade with people around the world, we need energy you got to move products where there's my truck by train by boat, whatever it is," Weber said. 

While mostly faced with Republican opposition, the issue is now becoming a bipartisan concern.

U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher TX-7 was among four Democrats to send a letter to President Biden last week, urging him to rescind the order and reject similar policies. 
    
In the meantime, Weber proposes an increased focus on renewable energy research. 

"It doesn't have to be this stringent, we can improve. We can increase the research on renewables. We can increase the amount of money that we're spending on research, but we don't have to kill the fossil fuel energy industry to do it," Weber said. 

On Tuesday, several Republican lawmakers will also be hosting a roundtable discussion with local oil and gas workers on how President Biden’s directives are impacting them.