COLUMBIANA COUNTY, Ohio - House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a visit to a Columbiana County well pad farm on Thursday.

He tourned the Sanor Farm Well Pad which is owned by Encino Energy.

McCarthy is pushing for more production of natural gas and oil so the country can become energy independent.

"God has blessed America with resources," McCarthy said. "If we have the ability to produce those resources, America will be stronger and the world will be safer.

McCarthy criticized energy policies in California saying the state has reduced production of natural gas by 20%.

He praised Ohio's policies and the work being done here.

"They discover new fields, safe, secure environmentally sound," McCarthy said. "Produce new oil and natural gas by Americans for Americans. The steel all produced in Ohio producing more American jobs, making America stronger, Ohio stronger. This is the difference of good politics, of good policy."

McCarthy also says America's natural gas is 41% cleaner than Russia's and if Russia's natural gas was replaced with America's in Europe for one year, they could cut 218 million tons of CO2 emissions.

He also believes we should sell our natural gas to allies and enemies.

"How much safer would the world be if China was dependent on America natural gas," McCarthy said. "We would be environmentally better, we'd be economically stronger and the world would be a safer place to live."

Back in March, Republicans passed the Lower Energy Costs Act in the House, which would increase production of oil and natural gas, reform the permitting process and they say, lower energy costs. Democrats call that misleading and a bill that only rewards big oil companies. It currently does not have enough support in the Senate.