As the presidential race comes to a close, Americans are eager to replace division with a sense of unity. One powerful rallying point? American energy. Polls show that the majority of Americans, like so many Pennsylvanians, understand that our nation’s security and prosperity are built on access to reliable, affordable energy. And the bipartisan cornerstone of that foundation is U.S. natural gas and oil – resources that strengthen our economy, support nearly 11 million jobs and offer a path forward for all.
A recent survey across seven presidential swing states, including Pennsylvania, found nearly nine in 10 voters – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – agree that American natural gas and oil help make the U.S. more secure. Watching recent events in Europe and other global hotspots, Americans also understand the inverse: Without reliable energy, it is difficult for a nation to be secure and prosperous.
American energy security allows us to be hopeful about a future built with natural gas and oil and helped by a workforce that is anchored by a new wave of workers. That includes people like Lackawanna County’s Zoey Wright, who while in high school trained as a pipe welder at energy company Coterra. Her drive represents a cohort of skilled workers who will bring energy to the rest of us far into the future.
Politicians at the highest levels are following Zoey’s lead, as a bipartisan consensus has formed around U.S. natural gas and oil. Just look at what Democrats and Republicans have said on the campaign trail: Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz – as well as former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance – have recognized that natural gas and oil are the bedrock of our energy present and future. As Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) recently noted, Pennsylvania is the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas.” In essence, we have learned that you can’t be elected president without supporting fracking.
Yet even at the presidential campaign’s 11th hour, there are some unanswered questions about the natural gas and oil role in America’s future energy mix. Now is the time for clarity, not confusion. Answers to some key questions can help.
Should Washington mandate which new cars and trucks Americans can drive – a reality under an EPA tailpipe regulation and new fuel economy standards? When will Washington fully end the ongoing permitting pause on liquefied natural gas export projects? If fracking is to be restricted as some have suggested – restricting American natural gas and oil production amid rising demand – where will they be produced instead?
An American Petroleum Institute white paper helps inform the answers, mapping five actions policymakers can take now to strengthen American energy leadership, protect consumer choice, leverage our natural resources, reform infrastructure permitting and advance sensible tax policy.
As Americans prepare to vote, they deserve to know where the country’s energy policy is going. Natural gas and oil are our leading energy sources today and top government agencies project both to be leading sources in the future. They are essential to an all-of-the-above energy approach – seen in Pennsylvania natural gas production alongside other sources of energy – that is the best way to ensure energy reliability and affordability for all Americans.
America’s energy future is bright. With Zoey Wright and others like her leading the way in delivering the energy Americans count on every day, our country’s big dreams can be turned into reality.
When Pennsylvanians visit the polls, they should vote for policies that uphold our energy advantage and future prosperity. Bolstered U.S. energy leadership and consumer freedom – big points every American can rally around.
