On October 29, PESA’s Government Affairs Committee, led by Todd Ennenga, Halliburton, had a lively discussion with Wesley Hunt, Republican congressional candidate for TX-7. The seventh congressional district is on the west side of Houston. It encompasses much of the energy corridor and is home to the headquarters of several PESA members. Wesley Hunt narrowly lost to the incumbent Rep. Lizzie Fletcher on election night.
Hunt was born and raised in Houston and is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served eight years in the Army as an Apache Longbow helicopter pilot, which included a combat deployment in Iraq. Within his immediate family, the Hunts have a combined 60 years of military service, something Hunt described as ‘not special’ but what it takes to preserve American values.
Tim Tarpley, Vice President Government Affairs, PESA, and Ennenga opened the conversation by asking Hunt to discuss his vision of leadership in Washington D.C. for the district and his views on energy issues.
Hunt said he’s concerned by proposals that could place heavy restrictions on the oil and gas industry and severely undermine operations. He said that if elected, he would counter these proposals by focusing on coalition building, working with the private sector and ensuring that the federal government does not overextend its role.
Hunt emphasized the energy industry’s need to “tell the truth” about how energy is a global issue that’s important to our everyday lifestyle. He believes the general public needs a reeducation to understand that the oil and gas industry provides far more than gas to power vehicles. While Hunt ended up coming short in the race, he felt the energy comments made by Vice President Joe Biden at the second Presidential debate injected new momentum into his race.
Flood control, an inherent risk for the city of Houston and concern for citizens and companies alike was also on Hunt’s mind. He wanted to add a third reservoir and deepen the current Addicks and Barkers structures. He said these projects are within the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives via the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and emphasized the need to get it done to protect city infrastructure.
The Hunt roundtable was the last PESA townhall before the November 3 elections. PESA looks forward to continuing to advocate for the OFS sector and the men and women of the oilfield. If you are interested in joining the Government Affairs Committee, please reach out to Tim Tarpley.
