ACC: Senate Interior-EPA Appropriations Markup Must Postpone Greenhouse Gas Regulations

/PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the Fiscal Year 2011 EPA-Interior spending bill. Today the American Chemistry Council and 23 other associations wrote to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to vote for an amendment that would postpone EPA's planned regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from stationary sources. A letter was also sent to House Appropriators. The letters are available at www.americanchemistry.com/energy.

American Chemistry Council (ACC) President and CEO Cal Dooley issued the following statement:

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's planned regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources, slated to begin on January 2, 2011, is one of the top challenges facing American business today. Already, the uncertainty and cost associated with these new regulations is having a chilling effect on investment and job creation vital to the nation's recovery. Governors across the country are baffled as to the requirements for states and how to process and pay for the coming flood of permit applications. Energy efficiency investments that could help reduce GHG emissions are among those thrown into disarray by EPA's new regulations.

"That's why a cross-section of American industry and agriculture representing millions of U.S. jobs has asked Senate Appropriators to immediately postpone the regulations. A postponement amendment will give Congress the time necessary to consider the appropriate regulatory approach for stationary sources and move forward on a national climate policy. According to EPA, as many as six million U.S. industrial facilities, power plants, hospitals, agricultural and commercial establishments eventually will be subject to these rules. Proposed steps such as a codification of the 'tailoring rule' have not resolved the confusion nor provided needed certainty and will not protect the vast majority of American businesses affected by the rules.

"Postponing stationary source regulation should be an urgent priority for Congress. We strongly urge Senate Appropriators and other lawmakers to support efforts to postpone EPA regulation of GHG emissions from all stationary sources. This essential step could be achieved through the appropriations process or legislation such as that proposed by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Congressmen Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.)."

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Statement by Governor Jan Brewer: ObamaCare is Wrong for Arizona and Wrong for America - Federal Hearing Tuesday

/Standard Newswire/ -- "Arizona has a long and proud history of fighting the Washington, D.C. elite's insatiable appetite for bigger government at the cost of States' rights. The battle over the Affordable Care Act better known as "ObamaCare" is the latest round. Once again, the feds have gone too far.

"The cost of ObamaCare places unsustainable burdens on our federal government, our state government, and on American families. Further, the scheme is based on the unconstitutional mandate that every American buy health insurance. For these reasons, the State of Arizona, at my direction, has joined nineteen other states in challenging ObamaCare in federal court in the Northern District of Florida.

"Shortly after the states filed their suit, President Obama directed his counsel at the Department of Justice to file a motion to dismiss the case. The federal district court in Florida will hear arguments this Tuesday, September 14, on whether the states' challenge to ObamaCare may move forward. I have no doubt that Arizona and the other states will ultimately prevail in striking down the most oppressive provisions of ObamaCare. The Act is simply unreasonable, unsustainable and unconstitutional.

"The costs of ObamaCare are indefensibly high and unsustainable. The current federal budget deficit will exceed $1.3 trillion. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the ten year deficit is another $6.2 trillion. This is not the time for America to be expanding entitlement programs, and thereby shackling our country to ever expanding debt obligations. Instead, the federal government should follow Arizona's example and cut spending. America needs a long-term plan that will balance our federal budget and bring stability to our economy.

"In addition to burdening the federal budget, the Act unconstitutionally imposes staggering new costs and obligations on the states. It transforms Medicaid from a federal-state partnership to reimburse needy persons' medical costs into a vast federally-mandated program to benefit millions of persons with incomes above the poverty line. While the states previously had discretion to manage their programs consistent with the needs of their citizens - indeed, Arizona's own Medicaid program, AHCCCS, is a model nationwide - the Act now limits state flexibility and turns the states into an administrative arm of the federal government. It also compels the states to assume responsibility not only for cost reimbursement but for the provision of the healthcare services. These changes will add more than $1 billion per year in costs to an already overstrained state budget.

"ObamaCare also forces private insurance plans to expand coverage. While some of these changes may seem fair on the surface, ultimately the costs of these changes are borne by families. According to the Wall Street Journal, coverage changes demanded by ObamaCare could increase some premiums as much as 9 percent. Many Arizonans have already been told by their employers to expect high increases in their insurance premiums that will dramatically impact their household budgets.

"Ultimately, the law is unconstitutional. It represents an unprecedented intrusion on the sovereignty of the states and the freedom of their citizens. Congress is using its authority under the Commerce Clause to require citizens to purchase health insurance or face a stiff penalty. This overreaching application of the Commerce Clause cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny.

"Congress's commerce power extends to regulation of activities having a substantial relation to interstate commerce, but it may not be used to compel individuals to enter a marketplace. Likewise, Congress's power to tax does not authorize it to compel persons to buy specific insurance products. By enacting ObamaCare, Congress has seized powers denied it under the Tenth Amendment, in violation of the Constitution's federalist structure and individual rights under the Fifth and Ninth Amendments.

"ObamaCare is a key point upon which Attorney General Goddard and I differ. I asked the Attorney General as the Arizona chief legal officer to join his colleagues in the other states in reviewing the constitutionality of the proposed law as it was making its way through Congress last year. He said no. Once it passed, I asked him to join the other states in challenging the law. He said no. In fact, Mr. Goddard recently argued that Arizona is "better off" with ObamaCare. Realizing that Congress has crossed the constitutional line and Attorney General Goddard was going to do nothing to protect Arizona's citizens, I called the Arizona Legislature into special session to remove his authority to speak for the state on this matter. The Legislature, without pause, authorized me to join the multistate suit on behalf of the citizens of Arizona.

"In addition to ObamaCare's constitutional deficiencies, citizens simply do not support the law's mandate that they purchase insurance or incur federal penalties. Just weeks ago Missouri voters rejected any federal mandate to purchase health insurance with the measure passing with more than 70 percent of the vote. On November 2, 2010, Arizona citizens will vote on Proposition 106, which is similar to Missouri's new law. I support Proposition 106 and have every reason to believe that Arizona voters will overwhelmingly pass this measure and, when they do, a clear message will be sent to the president and Congress that this type of overreaching by the federal government will no longer be tolerated.

"When these cases are ultimately decided in favor of the states on the merits, it will be a great day for the citizens who have the right to set their own health care policies and the states who have constitutionally guaranteed sovereignty to establish their own policies in the area of health care."

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Obama's Proposed Oil and Gas Tax Hikes to Cost U.S. Economy 154,000 Jobs in 2011

/PRNewswire/ -- Louisiana State University Endowed Chair of Banking and nationally-renowned economist Dr. Joseph R. Mason estimates that President Obama's proposed energy tax changes would trigger grave economic consequences. In the newly released "Regional and National Economic Impact of Repealing the Section 199 Tax Deduction and Dual-capacity Tax Credit for Oil and Gas Producers," Dr. Mason finds the resulting fallout over the next ten years would include:

-- Initial losses of over 154,000 jobs by the end of 2011, not only in
the energy sector but across the whole economy;
-- More than $341 billion in lost U.S. economic output; and
-- In excess of $68 billion in lost wages nationwide.


"As we've seen in its 2011 budget and newly unveiled 'stimulus' plans, the Obama administration aims to single out U.S. oil and gas firms and raise the cost of energy for consumers by eliminating crucial tax credits to which all taxpayers are entitled," Dr. Mason said.

"Though politicians think they are selectively targeting 'Big Oil' with these energy tax proposals, they would actually devastate thousands of small American businesses nationwide as well as the workers who depend on them. With at least 150,000 U.S. jobs at stake - in fields ranging from healthcare to real estate - it's clear that the costs of repealing Section 199 and dual capacity far outweigh the potential benefit of increased government revenues that may be derived from the proposal."

"The discriminatory energy tax increases proposed by the administration will destroy American jobs and raise the price of energy for consumers," president and CEO of the American Energy Alliance Tom Pyle said. "President Obama's proposed changes -- which would apply solely to oil and gas companies -- have little to do with the debate over offshore drilling safety or even energy policy in general. This tax grab merely represents punitive policies that are now finding a place in the sun in the post-BP oil spill crisis political environment."

Using the government's own economic model - the U.S. Commerce Department's RIMS II system - Dr. Mason provides incredibly conservative economic impacts. In fact, these already staggering estimates do not even include the effects of the proposed tax increases on individual investors. That means if Congress implements these proposed changes, the economic fallout could be even more substantial.

Dr. Mason's report was sponsored by Save U.S. Energy Jobs - a project of the AEA - established to help promote the nation's energy sector. To learn more and get exclusive information on upcoming projects, follow Save U.S. Energy Jobs on Twitter and Facebook.

Founded in May, 2008, The American Energy Alliance ("AEA") is a not-for-profit organization that engages in grassroots public policy advocacy and debate concerning energy and environmental policies. AEA is the advocacy arm of the Institute for Energy Research (IER), a not-for-profit organization - founded in 1989 - that conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets.

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Automatic Citizenship for Children of Illegals; Global Trend Is Toward Tighter Policies

/PRNewswire/ -- Every year, 300,000 to 400,000 children are born to illegal immigrants in the United States, each one of them automatically a U.S. citizen despite the illegal status of their parents. This practice of automatic, or birthright, citizenship is not the result of any specific legislation, regulation, executive order, or judicial ruling, and yet has become de facto law of the land.

This has recently become an issue of political controversy, but has been debated for many years. Legislation aimed at narrowing the scope of birthright citizenship has been introduced in every Congress for many years, and the latest iteration has attracted nearly 100 sponsors in the current Congress. Likewise, some leading legal scholars and jurists have long questioned whether such a permissive citizenship policy is constitutionally mandated.

The international trend is clearly away from universal birthright citizenship. Those countries that have ended the practice in recent years include the United Kingdom (1983), Australia (1986), India (1987), Malta (1989), Ireland (2005), New Zealand (2006), and the Dominican Republic (2010). The overwhelming majority of the world's countries do not offer automatic citizenship to everyone born within their borders.

In a new report, "Birthright Citizenship in the United States: A Global Comparison," the Center for Immigration Studies' legal policy analyst Jon Feere reviews the history of the issue in American law and presents the most up-to-date research on birthright citizenship policies throughout the world. The global findings are the result of direct communication with foreign government officials and analysis of foreign law. The report concludes that Congress should promote a serious discussion about whether the United States should automatically confer the benefits and burdens of U.S. citizenship on the children of aliens whose presence is temporary or illegal.

The report is online at http://www.cis.org/birthright-citizenship. Among the findings:

-- Only 30 of the world's 194 countries grant automatic citizenship to
children born to illegal aliens.
-- Of advanced economies, Canada and the United States are the only
countries that grant automatic citizenship to children born to illegal
aliens.
-- No European country grants automatic citizenship to children of
illegal aliens.
-- The global trend is moving away from automatic birthright citizenship
as many countries that once had such policies have ended them in
recent decades.
-- 14th Amendment history seems to indicate that the Citizenship Clause
was never intended to benefit illegal aliens nor legal foreign
visitors temporarily present in the United States.
-- The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the U.S.-born children of
permanent resident aliens are covered by the Citizenship Clause, but
the Court has never decided whether the same rule applies to the
children of aliens whose presence in the United States is temporary or
illegal.
-- Eminent scholars and jurists, including Professor Peter Schuck of Yale
Law School and U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner, have
concluded that it is within the power of Congress to define the scope
of the Citizenship Clause through legislation, and that birthright
citizenship for the children of temporary visitors and illegal aliens
could likely be abolished by statute without amending the
Constitution.



The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan research institution that examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

Employment Picture Grim for Least-Educated

/PRNewswire/ -- Less-educated, younger, and minority American workers face the worst job market in decades, far worse than their more educated counterparts. However, the situation for these workers was very difficult even before the current recession. A report from the Center for Immigration Studies examines their employment situation in the second quarters of both 2007 (before the recession) and 2010. Younger and less-educated workers are the most likely to be in competition with immigrants - legal and illegal.

The report, "From Bad to Worse: Unemployment and Underemployment Among Less-Educated U.S.-Born Workers, 2007 to 2010," is at http://cis.org/bad-to-worse.

Among the findings:

-- Younger and less-educated natives often do the same jobs as
immigrants. During the second quarter of 2010, in the occupations
employing the most young and less-educated U.S.-born adults, one in
five workers was an immigrant.
-- In the second quarter of 2010, the unemployment rate for U.S.-born
adults who have not completed high school was 20.8 percent. But even
in the second quarter of 2007, before the recession, it was 11.1
percent.
-- Using the broader measure of unemployment that includes those who want
to work but have not looked recently, and those forced to work
part-time (the U-6 unemployment rate), the rate for those who haven't
completed high school was 29.3 percent in the second quarter of 2010
and 18.7 percent in the same quarter of 2007.
-- The unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers who have only a high
school education and are 18 to 29 was 20 percent in the second quarter
of 2010. But even before the recession in 2007 it was 9.6 percent in
2007.
-- The broader measure of unemployment for 18- to 29-year-old U.S.-born
workers with only a high school education was 29.2 percent in the
second quarter of 2010. It was still 16.6 percent in 2007.
-- The unemployment rate for U.S.-born black workers without a high
education is currently 29 percent. Using the broader measure of
unemployment it is an astonishing 39.8 percent.
-- The unemployment rate for U.S.-born black workers with only a high
school education who are 18 to 29 is currently 22.9 percent. It is
32.4 percent using the boarder measure of unemployment.
-- The unemployment rate for U.S.-born Hispanic workers without a high
education is currently 22.9 percent. It is 32.4 percent using the
boarder measure of unemployment.
-- The unemployment rate for U.S.-born Hispanic workers with only a high
education who are 18 to 29 is currently 23.3 percent. It is 33 percent
using the boarder measure of unemployment.
-- In the second quarter of 2010 the unemployment rate of U.S.-born teens
(16 and 17) was 31 percent. It was 38 percent using the boarder
measure.
-- The total number of young and less-educated U.S.-born workers
unemployed is enormous. If we look at the broad measure of
unemployment for all workers who lack a high school education or have
only a high school education and are young (18 to 29) or are teenagers
(16-17), 6.3 million were unemployed in the second quarter of 2010.
-- In addition to the 6.3 million unemployed or underemployed, there were
another 16 million of these younger and less-educated individuals who
were entirely out of the labor market. That is, they were not working,
nor were they looking for work, even using the broadest measure of
unemployment.
-- To place these numbers in the perspective, there are an estimated
seven to eight million illegal immigrants holding jobs.


Policy Discussion: One argument for amnesty and increased future immigration is that there are not enough Americans workers to do jobs that require relatively little education, such as construction labor, cleaning and maintenance, food service and preparation, delivery, and light manufacturing. However, the employment data analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies does not support these assertions. Unemployment is extremely high among the least-educated Americans who often do these kinds of jobs. In fact, the employment situation for such workers was very high even before the current recession began. Thus it is very difficult to find any evidence to support the contention that the country needs large-scale unskilled immigration. Since there is an abundance of such workers already in the country, employers who have difficulty finding workers may need to offer better pay and working conditions in order to attract Americans.

Methodology: All figures in this report are calculated from the public use files of the Current Population Survey, collected by the Census Bureau, for second quarters of 2007 and 2010. Figures are seasonally unadjusted. Figures for U.S.-born blacks are for those who chose only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics can be of any race and are not included in the figures for other races.

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan research institution that examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

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Firearms Industry Applauds Landslide Passage of Excise Tax Improvement Legislation in U.S. Senate

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, hailed yesterday's passage of the Firearms Excise Tax Improvement Act of 2010 (H.R. 5552) by unanimous consent in the Senate.


The bill passed the House of Representatives at the end of June by a vote of 412-6. The House bill was sponsored by Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.). The Senate bill (S. 632) was sponsored by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and had 30 cosponsors, including lead co-sponsor Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) who co-chairs the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus.


This legislation corrects a longstanding inequity in the Internal Revenue Code by permitting firearm and ammunition manufacturers to pay the federal excise tax payment on a quarterly basis, just as other industries that support conservation through a federal excise tax do. Currently, firearms and ammunition manufacturers pay this tax on a bi-weekly schedule, forcing many manufacturers to borrow money to ensure on-time payment. Industry members spend thousands of staff-hours administering the necessary paperwork to successfully complete the bi-weekly tax payments--monies that are due to the federal government long before manufacturers are paid by their customers.


Importantly, HR 5552 pays for itself and does not add to the budget deficit. Nor does the bill lower the amount of conservation dollars collected by lowering the tax rate. It simply adjusts the payment schedule to a quarterly period.


"This bill strengthens wildlife conservation funding in America," said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "By enabling manufacturers to grow their businesses, excise tax receipts will actually grow. We are thankful for the tremendous support and leadership of Senators Max Baucus and Mike Crapo. Clearly, their vision in championing this bipartisan, pro-conservation, pro-business legislation allowed for smooth passage of the bill."


Keane added, "We also want to thank Majority Leader Harry Reid for expediting the legislative process by allowing the Senate to vote on the House-passed version of the bill. Senator Reid has long supported and fought for issues important to our industry and for hunters and gun owners both in Nevada and across the United States."


The firearm and ammunition excise tax is the major revenue source for funding the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund (also known as the Pittman-Robertson Trust Fund). Last year, firearm and ammunition manufacturers contributed approximately $450 million to wildlife conservation through excise tax payments.


Passage of HR 5552 would not have been possible without the hard work of many organizations, including a broad coalition of more than 35 conservation groups that are members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners. This coalition includes the National Rifle Association, Ducks Unlimited, Safari Club International and the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, which made passage of this bill a priority.


The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies also supported this legislation as did the Internal Revenue Service-Tax and Trade Bureau, which collects the excise tax. There is no organized opposition to this legislation.


"With passage of excise tax improvement in the House and Senate, it is our hope that President Obama will act fast to sign this legislation into law," said Keane.


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Passage of Medicaid FMAP Extension Will Preserve Quality Care, Key Frontline Jobs

/PRNewswire/ -- With the Senate approval today to extend emergency Medicaid relief (FMAP) until June 30, 2011, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care praised the vote and urged the House of Representatives to follow suit, saying the additional $16.1 billion in federal funding will help the nation's most vulnerable seniors retain access to quality care, while protecting key frontline health jobs.

"We applaud the Senate for taking action to pass this vital Medicaid relief, and urge the House to follow in the same manner. Every day that passes without an extension of this funding, seniors' care is placed in jeopardy, facility staffing stability is compromised, and good, local health jobs are put at risk," said Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. "The time to act is now. Our governors have repeatedly expressed the desperate need for relief, and we ask Congress to act on this critical health care policy matter."

"Senate passage of this legislation brings us one step closer to providing the vital funding needed to protect every senior's access to the skilled nursing and rehabilitative care they require and deserve," said Alan G. Rosenbloom, President of the Alliance. "We thank those Senators who took this stand for seniors and urge the House to follow with swift passage as well."

Yarwood and Rosenbloom pointed out that adequate Medicaid funding is directly linked with skilled nursing care and local caregiver job stability throughout America. Without the extension of emergency Medicaid relief, pressure mounts on governors to further reduce Medicaid-financed care and services.

A strong bipartisan majority of governors are adamant about the need for immediate action, as the National Governors' Association (NGA) recently noted, "Funding for FMAP is a particularly effective tool because it immediately allows Governors to eliminate planned budget cuts required to meet balanced budget requirements and continue services for those with the greatest need."

"We urge state legislatures and governors to use this increased funding to ensure our nation's seniors receive the funding necessary to provide high quality care as well as job stability for frontline caregivers," concluded Yarwood and Rosenbloom.

This measure will now return to the House of Representatives, where it could be considered as early as September when Members return from the August work period.

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Study of Tea Party Activists Reveals Movement's Level of Momentum

/PRNewswire -- An extensive new study of the Tea Party movement released today finds that the activists involved grew in number and enthusiasm in recent months. The Sam Adams Alliance report, The Next Wave: A Surf Report, also found that among new activists, a smaller number identify themselves as Republicans, with 50 percent choosing a different label for their political affiliation. The results of the full report can be found at www.activistinsightsreport.com.

The Next Wave report, announced at the American Legislative Exchange Council's annual conference, is the first of three reports studying Tea Party activists that will be released by Sam Adams Alliance before the November elections. Among newcomers to the movement, which the study identifies as "Next Wave" activists, 74 percent said the movement is "gaining active supporters," and 66 percent indicated that the movement is "more enthusiastic" than it was before the passage of health care reform.

"We found that Tea Party activists, above all, view themselves as both "restoring? and "forward- thinking,' which is an interesting tension as they continue to make their mark on the political landscape," said Anne Sorock, the study's research director. "They must find a way to preserve the best of what their America means while making their movement relevant to today's challenges."

The report also reveals that both Next Wave and Early Adopters are dropping their affiliation with the Republican label. Among the Next Wave activists polled, there was a near 30-point drop in their affiliation with the Republican party since becoming involved in the Tea Party movement.

Sam Adams Alliance's research shows that 47 percent changed their political affiliation to

"Independent/Unaffiliated," 20 percent changed to "Other," 20 percent to "Tea Party," and 13

percent to "Libertarian."

The report also revealed that 63.6 percent of Next Wave activists were recruited by friends, compared to only 37.5 percent of Early Adopters, who were more likely to be recruited by media personalities.

Other findings of the study include:

-- 89 percent of Tea Party activists have been recruiting new people into
the movement.
-- 44 percent of Next Wave activists said they were uninvolved or rarely
involved with politics prior to their Tea Party involvement.
-- 22 percent of Next Wave Activists identified as Independents, 10
percent as "Tea
-- Party."
-- Prior to becoming active in the movement, 74 percent of Next Wave
activists identified as Republican, 20 percent as Independent.
-- Sarah Palin was the leading choice for the 2012 presidential elections
with 23 percent, though 19 other choices were mentioned.
-- Tea Partiers have a more favorable view of the state-level Republican
party (38.7 percent unfavorable/very unfavorable) than the national
(49.2 percent unfavorable/very unfavorable)


For the full report findings, survey questions, methodology, and a preview video visit www.activistinsightsreport.com, or www.samadamsalliance.org.

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U.S. Voters to Congress: Reject New Energy Taxes

/PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Individual Freedom ("CFIF") today announced that activists from across the country have sent more than 21,000 letters to Congress urging opposition to federal legislation that slaps U.S. oil and gas companies with a massive new tax bill and consumers with increased energy costs.

The letters were sent over a two-week span in response to an alert sent out by CFIF educating activists about the negative consequences of legislation, proposed by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), that seeks to re-write the "dual capacity" taxpayer rules for American oil and gas companies. The change to the tax code would eliminate the tax credit afforded to domestic energy companies which currently permits them to offset taxes already paid to foreign governments on income made overseas. The Senate Finance Committee - in accordance with the president's budget proposal for next year - also is aiming to scrap the domestic manufacturing income deduction for U.S. energy firms.

"The thousands of voters who have called on Congress to oppose new energy taxes know what's at stake," said CFIF President Jeffrey Mazzella. "While Congress is away for August recess, we hope they will listen to the concerns of their constituents. If they don't and move forward with plans to pass legislation that burdens domestic energy producers with massive and unfair new tax liabilities, thousands of jobs will be lost, investments in new exploration and production projects will be cut and millions of dollars that could further stimulate our economic recovery will disappear."

Perhaps most troubling is the detrimental effect these new taxes would have on American competitiveness and energy security. "If Congress succeeds in raising taxes on U.S. energy producers this fall, it will effectively be subsidizing foreign competitors such as BP, Russia's LUKOIL and Venezuela's CITGO, all of which would not be subject to the added taxes," Mazzella explained. "Congress would literally be handing foreign-owned corporations a competitive advantage over American employers, harming the U.S. economy and increasing our nation's reliance on foreign sources of energy from places that are all too often hostile to American interests and values."

This large groundswell of citizen activism illustrates just how important domestic energy producers are to the health of the nation's economy as a whole. The U.S. oil and natural gas industry generates more than one trillion dollars in economic activity annually and employs more than nine million workers throughout the country.

These 21,000-plus letters send a clear message to Congress: It's past time you stand up for American interests and reject calls to give a leg-up to foreign-based corporations at the expense of our nation's workers and businesses.

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House Passage of Melancon Amended Bill to Provide $1.2 Billion for Gulf Restoration Praised

/PRNewswire/ -- Five conservation groups praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a bill July 30 that includes an amendment authored by Congressman Charlie Melancon (D-La.) that would provide up to $1.2 billion in funding for Gulf Coast restoration projects. The amendment provides funding for a "Gulf Coast Restoration Program" in Title V of the Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources Act (CLEAR Act/H.R. 3534). The amendment is fully paid for by a portion of BP's penalties for violating the Clean Water Act (CWA), so it doesn't increase the deficit.

"The BP oil spill has imperiled the Gulf Coast and its impacts will be felt for years to come by the communities, wildlife, and the environment," said a joint statement by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Audubon Society, and National Wildlife Federation. "Much of the oil in the marshes simply can't be cleaned up. Congressman Melancon's amendment recognizes that the long term solution to cleaning the marshes is to bring self-sustaining health back to this ecosystem through long-term investments in restoration. We thank Louisiana Congressmen Melancon and Steve Scalise (R-La.) for working together to ensure bipartisan support for this amendment, and we're grateful to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and the House leadership for their help to pass the amendment."

HR 3534 creates a restoration task force, comprising the five Gulf Coast governors and representatives of relevant federal agencies. Nine months after the legislation's enactment into law, the task force must submit a detailed Gulf of Mexico Restoration plan. Upon completion, the plan will be submitted to Congress, which will then fund listed projects. The funded projects will be large-scale restoration projects, endorsed by the Gulf Coast governors and federal agency heads.

"These projects will benefit all regions of the Gulf Coast and provide a restoration framework that will restore water quality, protect people, wildlife and reintroduce resilience into the coastal wetlands in the face of the oil spill," the groups concluded. "Nearly five years ago, our nation learned during Hurricane Katrina the important role Gulf Coast wetlands play in protecting people and communities from devastating storms. Now, in the face of the BP spill, America has come to understand the importance of a healthy Gulf ecosystem to wildlife, the economy, and the culture of the region."

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