ENROLLED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 98
BY REPRESENTATIVES BEAULLIEU AND THOMPSON AND SENATOR HENRY
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To express the opposition of the Louisiana Legislature to disproportionately increasing the
tax burden on natural gas, oil, and fuel industries.
WHEREAS, the natural gas, oil, and fuel industries contribute significantly to jobs
in Louisiana communities and to the development of state of the art emissions reduction
technologies; and
WHEREAS, these industries support nearly eleven million jobs across the country,
power the nation's economy, and generate billions in revenue for federal and state
governments in rents, royalties, and corporate and income tax payments, including fourteen
billion dollars for state treasuries through severance taxes in 2019 alone; and
WHEREAS, these industries support more than 249,800 jobs in Louisiana and
account for more than fourteen and a half billion dollars in wages in the state; and
WHEREAS, these industries contribute seventy-three billion dollars in gross
domestic product for the state; and
WHEREAS, these industries contributed four and a half billion dollars in direct
revenues for Louisiana in 2019, and Louisiana relies on those revenues to fund schools,
infrastructure, and other critical social services; and
WHEREAS, direct industry jobs pay seven times the federal minimum wage and
seventy percent higher than the national average wage; and
WHEREAS, every direct job in natural gas, oil, and fuel industries support an
additional 2.7 jobs in affiliated industries, from lodging to restaurants in proximity to these
industries' operations; and
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WHEREAS, these industries' investments in this country have led to a fifteen percent
decrease in household energy costs over the last decade, while costs for food, education, and
healthcare have skyrocketed; and
WHEREAS, those cheaper energy costs are crucial to working families in our
communities and across the country; and
WHEREAS, the natural gas, oil, and fuel industries should not be prevented from
recovering costs that other industries are eligible for simply because they operate in a
different economic sector; and
WHEREAS, the United States tax code allows industries across the manufacturing
sector to recover costs related to job creation and other operational investments; and
WHEREAS, these common tax mechanisms allow natural gas, oil, and fuel industries
to create jobs and offset the intangible costs of drilling; invest in our communities; fund
critical education, infrastructure, and social service programs; and deliver the energy that
working families rely on every day.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express its opposition to singling out these natural gas, oil, and fuels industries by
disproportionately increasing the tax burden on them and the constituents of this state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
president of the United States, each member of the president's cabinet, each member of the
Louisiana congressional delegation, and to the members of the capitol press corps.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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