Branded Blog

Permitting Reform Makes the World a Safer Place

By Congressman Kevin Hern (OK-01)

Everyone’s talking about energy these days. Whether it’s the still-high price of gas or the many different alternative fuel sources celebrities are hawking – energy is on everyone’s minds. What it costs, how to access it, and what’s the newest thing.

Energy is as much a part of Oklahoma history as the cowboys. A hundred years ago, Tulsa was the oil capitol of the entire world. Oil barons from around the world traveled to Oklahoma, where many oil companies are headquartered to this day. Today, Oklahoma is not only an international leader in traditional energy, but also one of the top states for alternative energy production. You heard that right: Oklahoma is a leader in wind and solar power.

There’s a reason why Oklahoma has such reliable energy for our people; we use an all-of-the-above approach to ensure reliable, affordable energy access to our homes and businesses. 

New and emerging energy sources certainly have a lot of potential, and Oklahomans are leading the charge on research and development of those technologies, but traditional energy remains the most reliable, the most affordable, and the most widely available.

Enter, Joe Biden.

On Day 1 of his presidency, Biden took aim at traditional energy producers in the States, making it harder for American oil and gas to make it out of the ground, through the refinement process, and to American cars and homes.

The permitting process has long been an issue for domestic energy producers. Wait times for bureaucratic approvals can sometimes last decades. Under Biden, fewer energy projects are being approved than ever before.

The impact on the American people has been drastic. Gas prices surged and the cost to heat or cool your home continues to rise. We’ve grown our dependency on foreign adversaries in Russia, Iran, and Venezuela for our oil supply. All the while, oil-rich projects on American soil are growing dust.

Shrinking the government has long been a priority for Republicans. Shrinking the bureaucracy should be top-of-mind as well.

In order to compete with a fast-paced world, we cannot let pointless bureaucracy slow us down. We have the knowledge and resources here at home to supply Americans’ energy needs. We have enough potential to export it around the world and protect our allies from dependence on dictators and totalitarian regimes – we just need to unleash that power.

The permitting process is the first step. We need to remove burdensome roadblocks that can hold up projects for years. A streamlined process benefits both energy producers and the general public. Let’s get rid of the redundant paperwork and never-ending hoops companies have to jump through to get their permits. When we get these projects off the ground and into action as quickly as possible, the American people benefit from cheaper and more reliable energy.

The bottom line is simple: we cannot continue relying on Russia, Iran, and Venezuela for oil. If we can make the United States a net-exporter of American energy, the world is a safer place.