Upton: GOP has true energy vision

WASHINGTON, June 23 (UPI) -- Republicans have a true vision of what an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy looks like for the U.S. government, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., said.

Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, delivered the weekly Republican address.

"The U.S. has entered an era of energy abundance, and now we need the architecture -- the infrastructure and policies -- to support it," he said in his Saturday address.

In its monthly market report, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said it estimated U.S. oil production in May averaged 8.4 million bpd, the highest monthly average in a quarter century.

Some U.S. lawmakers say the increased output means the government should embrace more oil exports and pipelines like Keystone XL to take advantage of the situation.

Upton says the Republican vision is in contrast to a White House strategy that he says delays Keystone XL and forces states to "ration energy" by stiff regulations on power plants.

"We can do better," he said. "Yes we can."