Larry Bucshon: “I thank Mr. Olson and Mr. Johnson for hosting this Special Order. Manufacturing is a key industry that helps drive…”

“I thank Mr. Olson and Mr. Johnson for hosting this Special Order. Manufacturing is a key industry that helps drive Indiana's strong economy. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Indiana manufacturers exported $33.78 billion in goods and employed 16.8 percent of the Hoosier workforce in 2016. Much of the credit for such a strong manufacturing presence in Indiana is its relationship with natural gas. In 2016, a comprehensive study was released detailing the positive effects that domestic natural gas brought to communities across the Nation. The study prepared by the National Association of Manufacturers provides examples of how natural gas is increasing the industrial strength and worldwide competitiveness of American companies. Among the findings, the study said that the natural gas industry has added nearly 1.9 million total jobs to the economy and saved working American families an average of $1,300 in disposable income in a single year through the production and use of shale gas. According to the study, the U.S. supply of natural gas is projected to increase by 48 percent throughout the course of the next decade, resulting from the growing demand for this energy source. During periods of high commodity prices, companies that rely on a high volume of natural gas to manufacture products can find it difficult to maintain a competitive advantage in an increasingly global market.…”