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Looking to the presidential debates, we're very interested to see how the candidates handle energy questions should they come up and, similarly, how the candidates may link energy to some of the high-profile issues everyone is talking about: the economy, jobs, U.S. security. Certainly, energy is foundational to all of these and more.

And, as we noted last week, questions and answers about energy and energy policy aren't just for the presidential discussion. They figure into Americans' votes at all levels all over the country. Jack Gerard, API president and CEO, talked about the stakes for U.S. energy in this campaign season and beyond during a conference call with reporters. You can read his prepared remarks below.

But here's a piece of the conversation in which Gerard talks about the need for policymakers and would-be policymakers to acknowledge the role of the ongoing U.S. energy renaissance in supporting and expanding individual Americans' prosperity and opportunity:

What we'd like to hear is a clear acknowledgement that natural gas is a key part of a national, American energy policy. We've been blessed with a rich abundance of it, even to the point now where we could … export it. Which is another great opportunity, creating American jobs, putting our people to work, while also providing others around the world the benefits of cleaner-burning natural gas. Every American family now saves over $1,300 a year in their energy costs. Much of that is driven by the lower costs of natural gas, because we have a vast supply of it, therefore it benefits all consumers.â€

More Gerard:

When you look at some of what we might call social issues that often get talked about poverty questions, income inequality questions … if we're really interested in giving people an affordable, quality standard of life, lowering their costs such as their energy costs, which everybody needs to get around and heat and cool their homes, is a very positive thing. An acknowledgement that natural gas is a driver in that, brought to you by hydraulic fracturing here in the United States with a rich abundance, would be a great step forward by both parties, Democrats and Republicans saying, you know what, we've got a great American blessing here we need to take advantage of.â€

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