Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1965, the Federal Lands and Energy Security Act of 2013, with a bipartisan vote of 228-192. This package of bills would protect and expand onshore American energy production and create new American jobs by streamlining government red-tape and regulations. Also, this legislation would establish an efficient and effective process to responsibly produce both renewable and conventional energy on our federal lands as part of a true all-of-the-above approach American energy production.

"For far too long the Obama Administration has deliberately blocked increased energy exploration and development in America, causing both oil and natural gas production on federal land to decline since President Obama took office. The real growth in American energy production is happening on state and private lands and this bill would bring that growth to federal lands,” said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04). “This legislation unleashes America’s energy potential on federal lands by streamlining the federal permitting process and opening up proven energy reserves to increased energy production in places like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The passage of this legislation today is an important step forward to increase much-needed energy production in America that will create jobs, grow the economy, and make energy more affordable for hardworking American families.”

H.R. 1965, the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act of 2013, includes the following five Natural Resources bills:

• Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act (Lamborn CO-05) - This bill would reform the leasing process for onshore oil and natural gas projects on federal lands to eliminate unnecessary delays; reform the process for energy permitting, once a lease is in hand, to encourage the timely development of our federal resources; ensure funds are available for efficient wind and solar permitting; and set clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources.

• Planning for American Energy Act (Tipton, CO-03) - This bill would establish common sense steps to create an all-of-the-above American energy plan for using federal lands to meet our Nation’s energy needs.

• National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act (Hastings, WA-04) - This bill would cut through bureaucratic red tape to unlock the full potential of energy resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) by ensuring that oil and natural gas are developed and transported in a timely and efficient manner.

• BLM Live Internet Auctions Act (Johnson, OH-06) - This bill would give the Secretary of the Interior the authority to conduct internet-based auctions for onshore leases to ensure the best return to the Federal taxpayer, reduce fraud, and secure the leasing process.

• Native American Energy Act (Young, AK-At Large) - This bill would streamline burdensome and duplicative government regulations and remove the barriers erected by the Obama Administration that are blocking Indian tribes from developing energy resources on their own land and creating new jobs.

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