BEAUMONT, Texas — The Port Arthur and Beaumont Chambers of Commerce teamed up with two Southeast Texas congressmen to discuss new legislative policies that will impact area businesses.
Republican congressmen Brian Babin and Randy Weber spoke at a luncheon on Monday, August 19.
Congressman Babin says Southeast Texas is the epicenter for energy in the U.S. and he's been hard at work creating legislative polices to protect the oil and gas industry.
"We'd really like to hear a little more about the pause on LNG and how the congressmen are working to get that handled," said Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce President Joe Tant.
The current national ban on new permitting does not impact Southeast Texas LNG plants because they already have the permits to operate.
"Currently there's about $294 billion worth of projects between Lake Charles and Baytown," Tant said.
Nevertheless Babin says more legislative polices are needed to protect the oil and gas industry.
"So that we can help, and unshackle, unleash, our industry, our business world. So that we can become the number one oil exporter, number one producer in the world again," Babin said.
Texas is already leading the way in that goal. Earlier this year, the Texas Oil & Gas Association reported that Texas supplied 42% of the nation's oil in 2023.
Another hot topic at the luncheon was a program that would allow employees without bachelor degrees to receive job training skills.
"Tax credit for employers for certain employee training experience. And why shouldn't they get tax credit for that? They're using company dollars to train employees," said District 14 U.S. Congressmen Randy Weber.
Weber is also working on another tax break.
"Tax credit for certain small businesses to advertise in local media," he said.
No matter the policy both Weber and Babin say their goal is simple.
"We want to be sure that we continue to grow Southeast Texas businesses is what's it's all about," Weber said.
Both U.S. representatives are up for re-election in November 2024.