,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #ebb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,july #be1 #bjai,mr4
 ,abraham 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,gosar1    
,mr4 ,higgins of ,louisiana1 ,mr4       
,johnson of ,louisiana1 ,mr4 ,watkins1  
,mr4 ,crawford1 ,mr4 ,scalise1 and ,mr4 
,marshall7 submitted the following      
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce     
,,resolution  ,expressing the sense of  
the ,house of ,representatives that the 
production of oil and natural gas is    
essential to the economy and well-being 
of the ,united ,states1 and that        
addressing energy needs requires        
cooperation instead of coercion4        
,whereas public leaders have attempted  
to coerce damages from energy companies 
with frivolous lawsuits and             
investigations1 including--  7#a7 on    
,july #bd1 #bjac1 the ,southeast        
,louisiana ,flood ,protection           
,authority-,east filed lawsuits against 
nearly #ajj energy companies1 alleging  

liability for flooding in ,new ,orleans2
  7#b7 on ,april #g1 #bjaf1 ,louisiana  
,governor ,john ,bel ,edwards and his   
administration joined in #ci lawsuits   
against energy companies1 alleging      
liability for damages to the coast of   
,louisiana2  7#c7 on ,september #ba1    
#bjaf1 ,governor ,john ,bel ,edwards    
sent letters to #af ,louisiana parishes 
directing them to file similar lawsuits 
against energy companies for alleged    
damages2 #d additional parishes have    
since joined the lawsuits2 and  7#d7 on 
,march #bi1 #bjai1 the city of ,new     
,orleans filed lawsuits against #aa     
energy companies1 alleging liability for
 damages to the coast of ,louisiana2    
,whereas these actions are not in the   
spirit of good governance2 ,whereas     
these actions create more problems than 
they intend to fix2 ,whereas these      
unseemly tactics are nothing more than a
 cynical attempt to use the power of    
government to shake down energy         
companies in order to fund public works2

 ,whereas these actions deter the safe  
development of the vast natural         
resources of the ,united ,states1 and   
hinder economic growth2 ,whereas the    
,united ,states has thrived and tackled 
its greatest challenges by fostering a  
cooperative spirit with business and    
industry2 ,whereas ,federal revenues    
generated from mineral production       
contribute to the conservation and      
preservation of national parks and other
 public lands2 ,whereas without the     
revenues generated by oil and gas       
production1 coastal restoration projects
 in ,louisiana would not be possible2   
,whereas the oil and natural gas        
industries are responsible for millions 
of ,american jobs and for adding        
trillions of dollars to the economy2    
,whereas the production of oil and      
natural gas has provided affordable and 
reliable sources of energy to billions  
of people around the world2 ,whereas    
,american innovation and ingenuity has  
made the ,united ,states the greatest   

energy producer in the world2 and       
,whereas increased production of        
domestic energy sources is vital to     
,american energy independence1 national 
security1 and the economy3 ,now1        
therefore1 be it  ,that it is the sense 
of the ,house of ,representatives that--
 7#a7 the production of oil and natural 
gas is critical to the continued        
prosperity of the ,united ,states       
economy1 its national security1 and its 
people2  7#b7 the ,federal ,government  
and public leaders throughout the       
,united ,states should promote policies 
that encourage greater energy production
 and independence2 and  7#c7 public     
leaders should work in a spirit of good 
faith and cooperation with energy       
producers to address the energy needs   
and problems facing the ,united ,states1
 rather than in a spirit of coercion and
 division4