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Independence Day reminds us of our ability to do great things

By Congresswoman Virginia Foxx

When our Founders poked their finger in the eye of an imperialistic colonial power in the 1700’s and declared their independence, the success of a new nation built on the concept of freedom was far from certain.  However, as we know, despite the long odds, the concept and our country have prevailed.

Similar long odds confront our nation today.  Consider our national energy policies.  As most North Carolinians know first hand, energy prices are gobbling up ever-larger slices of the family or business budget.  With gas prices averaging about $3.50 a gallon last month, it can seem like we are at the mercy of the Middle Eastern petro-states that control so much of the world’s oil production. 

It need not be so.

The United States has the wherewithal, ingenuity and dedication to end our dependence on Middle Eastern oil for good.  In fact, over the past week I had many experiences that underscored this reality.  I spent several days visiting constituents like small businesses, farmers and educators to learn how people are dealing with the high cost of energy and to see how a few are even declaring their energy independence by working to reduce the impact of increasing energy costs.

For some businesses and families, the cost of energy is a true hardship.  Some in rural areas are commuting long distances to work.  When gas prices rise, it means doing without in another area of the budget.  And businesses like the trucking company I visited in Statesville have to deal with rising fuel costs by either charging customers more or deferring investment in equipment or new employees.  Neither of these options will help spur economic recovery. 

Last week I encountered many people who have the same kind of personal fortitude and independent spirit that helped catapult our Founders to victory over their colonial masters. This struck home when I visited Hemric Farms in Yadkin County.  This cattle and poultry farm has been hit hard by high fuel prices.  They’ve had to spend nearly $20,000 more on fuel compared to 2010 and have been unable to hire the extra help they need to run the farm. In simple terms, high energy costs are curtailing job creation at Hemric Farms.  But in the face of these obstacles, they are nowhere close to giving up.

Despite the hardships that high energy prices cause for so many North Carolinians, I’m still amazed at how confident people remain in America’s ability to make it through tough times and emerge even stronger.

However, simply “toughing it out” is not going to reduce our dependence on the flow of oil from the Middle East.  We’ve got to engage in a proactive battle that involves more than just that famous American grit.  I saw some very encouraging signs of that battle emerging throughout my visits across Northwest North Carolina. 

In Boone, at Appalachian State University, college students are designing and building a solar-powered house called the Solar Homestead to compete in the international Solar Decathlon that is taking place this fall on the National Mall in Washington, DC.  They are literally building a template for a super efficient and “off-the-grid” home.  And since homes account for nearly a quarter of the United States’ total energy use, work like this holds the potential to reduce our energy consumption dramatically.  While solar powered houses aren’t a silver bullet, the sort of innovation taking place at ASU is good news for slowing the flow of Middle Eastern oil. 

I also toured and learned about a local Yadkin Valley vineyard that is using solar power to reduce its energy consumption significantly.  Carolina Heritage Vineyards is leading the way with a solar installation that actually allows it to sell electricity to the power company on the sunniest days. 

These kinds of investments are, of course, just the tip of the spear.  Alternative energy holds great promise for the future, but the vast majority of our economy still runs on conventional energy sources.  Until alternatives like wind or solar catch up, we must also find ways to efficiently and safely develop American sources of oil and natural gas.  Doing so will help to stabilize prices and stop the gusher of cash that we send to the Middle East to buy oil. 

Unfortunately many job-killing regulations stand in the way of more American-made energy.  Do you like the idea of reliable, efficient electric cars replacing gas-guzzlers that burn through Middle Eastern oil?  That sounds great, unless we don’t have the electrical capacity to charge them.  If we don’t we get serious about stopping energy over-regulation that just may become the case. 

For instance, the American Public Power Association predicts that four proposed regulations from the EPA could result in the closure of enough power plants to power every single home in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.  Policies like these will never power up a country’s worth of new electric cars and certainly won’t wean us off of Middle Eastern oil. 

In order to reach energy independence from the Middle East, we need an all-of-the-above energy policy.  That means flexibility and innovation.  It means new sources of power and old ones will be needed.  Demonizing fossil fuels will permanently hamstring our progress, as will completely writing off the future development of alternative energy sources.  The truth is, we’re going to need them both. 

As we celebrate the Independence of our nation, let’s remember that declaring our independence was more than just an act of Congress in 1776.  It was also the action of a freedom-loving people rallying to a cause that turned into a watershed moment in history. There’s no reason that we can’t do it again and finally declare ourselves independent of Middle Eastern oil and the many unsavory regimes that sell it to us.