This week, I wrote an op-ed in the Washington Times about the importance of resorting American energy leadership.
The world runs on Southeast Texas energy
When America needs energy, it turns to Texas and more specifically, to Southeast Texas. We don’t just refine oil or export gas. We fuel economies, empower allies, and protect national security. In short: we are the energy capital of the world.
Our energy sector supports millions of well-paying jobs across America and tens of thousands of those are in Southeast Texas. These are jobs that don’t require four-year degrees, but do demand skill, grit, and the kind of work ethic that built this county. Welders, pipefitters, engineers, rig hands, terminal operators, truck drivers, safety techs this is the American workforce at its best.
Now, you might be asking yourself: what sets Southeast Texas apart?
We are uniquely positioned on the Gulf of America, home to seven of the nation’s busiest ports that move our precious cargo, and the host to some of the most critical refineries in the country. That includes the Motiva refinery in Port Arthur the largest in the entire United States. Add in Valero, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil’s massive refining and chemical complex in Beaumont, plus Marathon’s operations in Texas City, and the message is clear: we don’t just refine oil in Southeast Texas we lead the world in it.
Our region is also a powerhouse in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, with world-class facilities like Golden Pass, Port Arthur and Freeport LNG leading the charge on the global stage. And thanks to President Donald Trump undoing the damage and pause that President Joe Biden placed on our LNG exports, Southeast Texas will lead the world in exporting LNG to our allies, helping them break free from dependence on authoritarian regimes.
Meanwhile, petrochemical plants in our region like Dow, Huntsman, and BASF in Freeport are supplying everything from medical equipment to everyday plastics. Our products don’t just run cars and trucks they support hospitals, manufacturers, and every American household.
We are also home to new and emerging forms of energy, including hydrogen, carbon capture, sustainable aviation fuel, ammonia, bio- and renewable-diesel, and renewables all made possible because of the deep industrial expertise, infrastructure, and workforce already here.
Under four years of Democratic control of the White House, Southeast Texas saw delays, green mandates, permitting slow-walks, and hostility toward the very industries that make our economy run.
That has all changed. On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency because he knew what so many of us have been saying all along we weren’t producing energy at the level America needs. We weren’t leaning into the industry that built this country.
President Trump knows American energy is the cornerstone of American strength and that having efficient, reliable, and affordable energy is the key to lowering costs, growing jobs, and protecting our national security.
We have four years to do a lot of important work that has been neglected for years. If we want to continue our energy dominance, we must double down on Southeast Texas.
That means investing in critical infrastructure pipelines, ports, and power grids to move our products faster and safer. It means cutting the red tape that delays permits and discourages innovation. It means unleashing the full potential of LNG, hydrogen, and carbon capture, and empowering the hardworking men and women who keep our energy economy running.
And most importantly, it means fighting for an energy strategy that puts America first not Beijing, not Brussels, not the radical green lobby.
The road to American energy independence doesn’t run through Washington. It runs through Southeast Texas through the refineries of Port Arthur, the chemical plants of Beaumont, the terminals of Sabine Pass, and the grit and determination of the people who live and work here.
President Trump understands that. He’s focused on restoring America’s energy dominance and he knows it starts right here.
So let’s lean in. Let’s stand tall. Let’s remind the rest of the country where their electricity comes from, where their gas is refined, and where the future of American energy is being built.
When America needs energy, it turns to Texas. And when Texas gets to work the world takes notice.
