U.S. Chamber Executive Calls for Energy Consensus

Outlines Comprehensive Energy Platform at Houston Summit

HOUSTON, TX— In remarks at Congressman Kevin Brady's (TX-8) energy summit today, Fred Smith, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21st Century Energy, emphasized America's urgent energy challenges and called for political leadership to adopt solutions for a clean, secure, and prosperous future.

"Improving our energy security must be met through the efforts of the private sector, research community, all levels of government, and our society at large," Smith said. "To succeed, we must reexamine outdated approaches, become better informed about energy and the environment, and move forward to secure our energy future based on facts and scientific evidence."

Smith highlighted the resounding response that the Institute received since unveiling its energy platform last month in an open letter to the next president and Congress. With thousands of signatures and support, the Institute continues to elevate the importance of accelerating energy efficiency across all sectors; transforming the transportation sector through greater use of alternative and renewable fuels; and increasing and diversifying America's energy supplies through the expanded use of nuclear power, coal, and renewable energy as well as new domestic exploration and production of oil and natural gas. To read the open letter's 13 energy pillars, visit www.energyxxi.org/xxi/open_letter.html.

Smith participated in the Energy Capital Solutions Summit with John Hofmeister, founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy and former president of Shell Oil; Amy Jaffe, Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; Clay Sell, president of Hunt Energy Horizons and former deputy secretary of Energy; and Stuart Strife, vice president of exploration at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.

The mission of the U.S. Chamber Institute for 21st Century Energy is to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind a common sense energy strategy to help keep America safe, secure, prosperous, and clean. Through policy development, education, and advocacy, the Institute is building support for meaningful action at the local, state, national, and international levels. To read more about the U.S. Chamber's Institute for 21st Century Energy, visit www.energyxxi.org/.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

www.uschamber.com/

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