House wants more energy in era of record production

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A bill that passed through the U.S. House of Representatives will bring relief to consumers feeling the "squeeze" of high gasoline prices, backers say.

The House of Representatives passed a measure largely along party lines that supporters said would lower energy prices and expand U.S. energy production.

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., said the bill came in response to bureaucratic red tape getting in the way of true U.S. energy potential.

The measure is "a common sense" approach to "provide relief to hardworking Americans who are feeling the squeeze of higher gasoline and electricity prices, reduce burdensome government barriers to American energy production, and increase America's energy security," he said in a statement Thursday.

The American Petroleum Institute, which represents the business interests of the energy sector, said permits for everything from the Keystone XL oil pipeline to liquefied natural gas exports were piling up and it was up to Senate leaders to move the legislation forward.

The measures are likely to die in the Senate amid criticism House leaders are pushing their energy agenda in the run up to November elections.

Separate analysis from API this week found crude oil production is at its highest level in nearly three decades. Motor club AAA said gasoline prices are falling at their fastest rate since 2010.