SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Seventeenth Annual West Texas Legislative Summit was held at Angelo State College on August 4, 2021.

Definitely one of many primary subjects Of dialogue included infrastructure. The dialog was moderated by Texas Departmalest of Transportation Feeer Alvin New.

The panel was comprised of Texas District 36 Congressman Brian Babin, D.D.S., Senior-Most Republican Texan Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Congressman Jodey Arrington (District 19), Speaker Tom Craddick, Feeer Christi Craddick, Railroad Fee of Texas Chairman, John Osborne Chairman of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance, and Sean Strawbridge Chief Authorities Officer of Port of Corpus Christi Authority.

Congressman Babin spoke Regarding the significance of Interstate 14 Which might Bear San Angelo.

“San Angelo is The Most very important metropolis Inside the nation with out an interstate,” Babin said.

He said the legal guidelines relating to I-14 now consists of the interstate going So far as Georgia and that the Senate has picked up the modifications.

Congressman Arrington added that I-14 might convey As a lot as 55 billion dollars into the Texas financial system over 20 years. He additionally spoke on the debt that the nation is dealing with.

“We’re broke as a nation,” Arrington said.

He addressed the room stating that West Texas contrihoweveres cattle, cotton, And a lot of completely different assets however this space Notably additionally contrihoweveres a “again bone” to the nation.

Consultant Tom Craddick spoke on oil manufacturing stating that Texas had elevated oil manufacturing in 2019 and 2020 regardless of The worldwide pandemic. Craddick additionally addressed roads and the position they play When it Includes commuters’ lives.

“Visitors is a contrihowevering problem for A particular person Making an try to relocate,” Craddick said.

He additionally addressed The want for legal guidelines Which might put A refund into the “moist day fund” To Make constructive that Texas hAs a Outcome of the assets it wants in case of an emergency. Craddick said he has launched the “Develop” Invoice and that the bill has handed The house twice however was not handed by the Senate.

Christi Craddick spoke Regarding The want for oil and gasoline for not solely Texas However the nation and past. She said that the U.S. exports pure gasoline to a quantity of worldwide places like Poland and Mexico. She additionally said that The want for pipelines To maneuver these assets is of good significance.

“You will Have The power to drill all You’d like however Do You’d like to can’t get it to market, it doesn’t matter,” Craddick said.

She additionally addressed the potential 144 legal guidelines that she said she anticipated the Biden Administration to move or put into place. She said that the 144 legal guidelines have been initially proposed by the Obama Administration.

“The oil and gasoline enterprise is already In all probability the most regulated enterprise with out these 144 legal guidelines,” Craddick said.

She additionally spoke Regarding The want for The enchancmalest of the Keystone XL Pipeline to proceed. Stating that oil and gasoline manufacturing Isn’t solely importation to America however May even be “nationwide safety for The Reprimaryder of the world” who Rely upon the U.S. for these assets.

The Summit proceedd with a session on Agriculture and water.

This panel was comprised of Congressman for District 25 Roger Williams, Emily Lindley with TCEQ, Congressman for District 13 Ronny Jackson, and Agriculture companion with Texas Farm Bureau Alisha Schwertner. This panel was moderated by District 28 Senator Charles Perry.

The problemd talked about included supplying and defending water for generations To return and property rights of landowners.

“35 to 40 million acres of the U.S. are owned by a overseas entity and in Texas, 4.5 million acres are owned by a overseas entity,” Jackson said.

Jackson, Perry, and Williams all addressed The proceedd factors the U.S. is having with China and said that China is a malesace to America.

All three males referred to as on the native landowner to “put The complete earlier than self” When it Includes promoting land to a overseas entity who Could additionally Supply A greater worth.

“Hopefully We will attraction to their patriotism,” Perry said.

Jackson defined that some entities might Appear to be American-owned however Are actually owned by a overseas entity and This might confuse some landowners Who’re promoting their property.

The legislative summit will proceed with Congressman August Pfluger As a Outcome of the keynote speaker all by way of lunch.