WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, is a founding member of a bipartisan Congressional Propane Caucus, which was launched Thursday in the House of Representatives.

The caucus is to provide a forum for members of Congress, their staff, and the public to learn about issues of importance to propane consumers and the propane industry.

Congressmen Robert E. Latta and Tim Walz announced the founding of the caucus.

“Thanks to an increase in domestic production and the development of shale formations across the country — including the Utica/Point Pleasant formation in my home state of Ohio — Americans are blessed with an abundance of this essential resource,” Rep. Latta said in a release.

Kelly of Butler is among the 10 founding members of the caucus, which includes five members from each party.

“In honor of today’s launch, this week I will be reintroducing the Powering American Jobs Act, a bipartisan bill to make the excise tax provision for propane permanent,” Kelly said in the release.

“This will bring much-needed certainty to energy providers important to Western Pennsylvania and our entire country, which in turn will help them create more jobs for more Americans.”

Propane contributes $38.7 billion to America’s GDP and provides nearly 50,000 domestic jobs.