Exxon Mobil CEO: US Companies See Need For Energy, Climate Policy
16 October 2009 - 5:00AM
Dow Jones News
The U.S.'s top corporate executives agree on the need for energy
and climate-change policies, but consider Congress' attempts at
legislation to be largely piecemeal approaches to comprehensive
issues, Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) Chairman and Chief Executive Rex
Tillerson said Thursday.
In comments to reporters at a Business Council meeting in North
Carolina, Tillerson dismissed notions that U.S. companies are at
odds with each other over whether such government policies are
necessary.
"I don't think there is a split over the need to do something,"
said Tillerson before ducking into meetings with dozens of fellow
chief executives. "In discussion among ourselves, people are
focused on serious challenges and serious solutions."
Much of the corporate push-back on legislative proposals dealing
with energy conservation, carbon-emissions reductions and
alternative energy, he said, stem from the limited focus of the
proposals. He said the measures often fail to address the broader
implications regulations to business competitiveness and the U.S.
economic performance.
"One of the challenges of dealing with Washington, and it's not
unique to this administration, is they look at issues in a very
narrow way," he said. "It's a long-term problem with how we
formulate policy. We've never really had a sensible, long-term
policy" on energy.
Tillerson said it is unlikely that Congress will be able
reconcile versions of energy legislation in the House and Senate
and approve a single bill by the end of the year.
Tillerson was joined at the Business Council press briefing by
Jim Owens, chairman and chief executive of Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)
,and Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase
& Co. (JPM).
- -By Bob Tita, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4129;
robert.tita@dowjones.com