Congressional Propane Caucus Officially Formed

On May 21, 2015, Congressmen Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) announced the founding of the Congressional Propane Caucus.The caucus has been formed to provide a bipartisan forum to engage members of Congress, their staffs, and the public on issues of importance to propane consumers and the propane industry.

“I am pleased to join my colleague Congressman Walz in leading this effort in the House. Thanks to an increase in domestic production and the development of shale formations across the country — including the Utica/Point Pleasant formation in my home state of Ohio — Americans are blessed with an abundance of this essential resource,” said Propane Caucus co-chairman Latta. “Propane is vital to our everyday lives; it heats our homes, aids in the production of our farms, and is increasingly being used as an alternative, clean-burning fuel for transportation. I am pleased to start this caucus in order to educate fellow members of Congress on the many uses of propane, its importance to the constituents we serve, and the issues both the industry and its consumers face.”

“I’m proud to lead this caucus with Rep. Latta. Propane is essential for hundreds of thousands of Minnesota families, not only to heat their homes during the long, cold winter, but also for cooking, laundry, and farming,” stated Congressional Propane Caucus co-chair Walz. “It is imperative that we do everything in our power to protect families and local businesses from facing the price shocks we witnessed in the winter of 2014, when a lack of supply put people’s lives and livelihoods at risk.”

The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) noted in its NPGA Reports email on May 21 that recent developments in the energy sector have generated a strong domestic propane supply that is projected to remain plentiful for the foreseeable future. However, many challenges exist to ensure that Americans have an adequate supply of propane when they need it.

“The Congressional Propane Caucus was designed to focus on these challenges, so that Congress can ensure that propane continues to serve American consumers in a consistent, reliable, and affordable manner,” NPGA added.

Founding members of the caucus include five members of each party:

• Co-chair, Rep. Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio)

• Co-chair, Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.)

• Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.)

• Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.)

• Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.)

• Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.)

• Rep. Dave Loebsck (D-Iowa)

• Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minn.)

• Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.)

• Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.)