WASHINGTON – Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02), a member of the House Energy Action Team (HEAT), issued the following statement after cosponsoring five bills that will increase domestic energy production and encourage private sector job creation. These bills form the core of the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, which was unveiled at a press conference earlier today:
“Like most Arkansans, I believe making America less dependent on Middle Eastern oil is good for U.S. national security and our economy. That’s why I’m proud to cosponsor five pro-jobs energy bills, which will open up federal lands to increased energy exploration, stop the EPA’s unrealistic and costly fuel regulations, and speed up the Obama Administration’s sluggish permit approval process. And not only will they help hardworking Arkansans save more of their paychecks, they’ll help put folks back to work.”
Following a series of nationwide American Energy and Jobs Tour events held last month, members of HEAT unveiled the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act earlier today. This package of domestic energy production bills is designed to reduce energy costs and encourage private sector job creation. Rep. Griffin is a cosponsor of five of the seven underlying bills and will support the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act once it is formally introduced. Here is a summary of the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act:
Rep. Griffin has cosponsored the Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012 (H.R. 4480), which would require an increase in federal lands leased for oil and natural gas drilling that is proportional to any release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
The Planning for American Energy Act of 2012 (H.R. 4381) would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to develop a strategic plan every four years on how to responsibly develop our federal onshore energy resources in order to meet U.S. energy demands. Rep. Griffin is a cosponsor of this bill.
Rep. Griffin has also cosponsored the Providing Leasing Certainty for American Energy Act of 2012 (H.R. 4382), which would expand onshore energy production by requiring the Interior Secretary to offer a minimum level of new lease sales each year.
The Streamlining Permitting of American Energy Act of 2012 (H.R. 4383) would ensure the timely approval of drilling permits by setting firm timelines for the Interior Secretary. Rep. Griffin is a cosponsor of H.R. 4383.
Rep. Griffin has cosponsored the Gasoline Regulations Act of 2012 (H.R. 4471) would direct the President to establish an interagency committee to study certain U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules and actions that impact the price of gasoline and diesel fuels, while delaying the implementation of the three most problematic regulations until the study is complete. Those three regulations are New Source Performance Standards for greenhouse gases for refineries, TIER 3 standards and Tightening of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act (H.R. 2150) would expand American energy production and lower energy costs by ensuring that oil and natural gas resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) are developed and transported in a timely, efficient manner.
The BLM Live Internet Auctions Act (H.R. 2752) would authorize Internet-based auctions for onshore leases to ensure greater returns for U.S. taxpayers, reduce fraud and secure the leasing process.
Bill repeals ObamaCare medical device tax, HAS/FSA ban on OTC drugs
WASHINGTON – Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after House passage of the Health Care Cost Reduction Act (H.R. 436):
“President Obama’s health care law contains at least 20 tax increases on job creators and working families, including a provision that jeopardizes manufacturing jobs and raises the cost of life-saving medical devices. Another provision in the law limits families’ access to over-the-counter medicines. Our bill, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act repeals these harmful policies, and I am proud to support it despite the President’s veto threat. Unlike President Obama, I support improving hardworking Arkansans’ access to quality health care by lowering costs through patient-centered solutions that empower consumers.”
H.R. 436 would repeal President Obama’s health care law’s 2.3 percent tax on medical devices, which is scheduled to take effect in 2013, and would repeal the ban on using health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending arrangements (FSA) to pay for over-the-counter medicines. It also would remove certain FSAs’ “use-it-or-lose-it” rules that force employees to forfeit their balances at the end of the year. Finally, over the next decade, H.R. 436 would recapture $43.9 billion of overpayments resulting from federally-subsidized health insurance plans.
According to a new NYT/CBS News poll, more than two-thirds of Americans hope the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the President’s health care law. On Wednesday, the Obama Administration issued a veto threat on H.R. 436.
Tags: Representative, Tim Griffin, Arkansas, District 2, U.S. House, bills, vote, pro-jobs, energy, bills, repeal, Obamacare Tax, medical devises,
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