Congressman Gonzalez Calls for Support for Workers in Energy

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced hissupport,along with a group of bipartisan Congressional Members, to ensure that anystimulus or relief legislationaddresses the unique needs of thosewho work in the energy industry.

In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the members highlight the challenges facing their constituents and people across the country who work in the energy sector.

"We know from previous economic aid efforts that any COVID-19 relief package must protect all hard-working Americans. The effects of COVID-19 will be felt across the economy. But they will be particularly acute in the energy sector," the members wrote.

They continued: "The dramatic reduction in production coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic leaves these hard-working men and women with an unprecedented challenge."

The members also reminded leadership of the scale of the challenge: " A 2017 PricewaterhouseCoopers study showed that the oil and gas industry supported 10.3 million jobs and was responsible for 5.6 percent of total U.S. employment."

Congressman Gonzalez was joined by Representatives Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Al Green (TX-09), Brian Babin (TX-36), Kendra Horn (OK-05), and Marc Veasey (TX-33).

The full text of the letter is available here.