Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV), joined with 41 of her Republican Colleagues to send a letter to the Trump Administration urging them to continue prioritizing our nation’s oil and natural gas producers and workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“West Virginia’s energy supply plays a crucial role in powering our country,” said Congresswoman Miller. “During this time of decreased demand, America’s energy dependence cannot be compromised and must continue to keep the lights on for millions of households and businesses. I am committed to ensuring our energy companies have a steady flow of resources from our government to combat this pandemic and keep our workers paid.”
The letter reads:
“Thank you for your leadership during this time of great uncertainty. As this national health emergency unfolds, we ask that you continue to prioritize America’s oil and natural gas producers and workforce. As you know, oil prices plunged to an 18-year low last week and have dropped by more than half this year alone. With oil trading well below $50 per barrel, many producers are operating at a loss.”
“Oil and gas producers, and the jobs they support, face unique threats that extend beyond the global pandemic. Prior to the decline in demand due to the spread of the virus, Russia and Saudi Arabia began simultaneously flooding the market with cheap oil, forcing American oil and gas companies to shrink production and slash spending just to stay afloat. If this market does not stabilize soon, we risk rolling back the success of the U.S. energy industry over the past decade, which will have a disastrous effect on America’s economy and jeopardize our energy security. With that in mind, please consider the following policy strategies that would provide America’s energy producers and workers with much-needed relief.”
The full text of the letter and members who signed on can be found here.
