“The purpose is the same as it has been the last five years,” said the Texas Republican, whose District 11 encompasses the Permian Basin. “They came to see how the energy space works. The Permian Basin literally provides the foundation of our economy.”

Pfluger estimated more than 60 members of Congress have accompanies him to the Permian Basin over the past five years, even picking up the sand used in hydraulic fracturing.

“We’ve dispelled a lot of myths,” he said.

Freshman Congressman Craig Goldman, a Fort Worth Republican, noted that he has seen how the Texas economy benefits from the Permian Basin’s oil and gas production as well as how it benefits the nation as it sends Permian Basin energy around the world.

Georgia Republican Rick Allen said this was his third visit to the region. He said he is interested in oil and gas and has invested in oil and gas. “We need all energy. We have to dominate in energy — that’s economic power, military power.”

Brett Guthrie, the Kentucky Republican who chairs the committee, said it is important the nation beats China in advancing artificial intelligence. “We must win this battle and we will do it with energy and energy starts here in the Permian Basin.”

Russell Fry, a Republican from South Carolina, called the visit “a fact-finding tour for us to see how you do what you do. That affects policy making.”

For families to thrive, Fry said they need energy from the Permian Basin.

Nick Langworthy, a Republican from the Buffalo area in New York, said he has seen first-hand how opposition to fossil fuel development “killed thousands of good paying jobs in New York, good paying jobs I saw here today. It’s sad to think of what could have been for some of the poorest counties in New York.”

He said he wanted on the committee to overturn those policies.

Pfluger said that, after touring Permian Basin oil facilities, committee members will lay the legislative framework to allow companies to innovate and produce affordable, reliable energy for their customers and mitigate the price volatility that benefits no one.

“This group will go back to D.C. with the education to set policies,” he said.