Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) joined U.S. Reps. Jerry Carl (R-Ala.), Garret Graves (R-La.), Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) and Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) in introducing six bills that will unleash America's domestic energy potential, restart onshore and offshore lease sales and require the timely issuance of permits to drill. 

"Today, we are taking a necessary step to end President Biden's repeated assaults on American energy. The American people continue bearing the brunt of these disastrous policies. Enough is enough," Westerman said. "The bills we introduced today will allow us to tap into the rich stores of resources America already has, and further both our energy independence and our innovation in the energy sector. Together with legislation promoting development of American critical minerals and energy independence that our members introduced earlier this Congress, we are advancing an all-of-the-above energy approach that will strength our nation and allow us to lead the world into the future."

"At a time when fuel prices are at record highs, the Biden administration has not let up on its regulatory assault on American energy producers. As a result, Americans are paying more for fuel and nearly everything else. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Unleashing American Energy Act, which would reverse Biden’s war on American energy and unleash domestic production. Although this bill won’t solve all our energy problems overnight, it will help lower energy prices and bring much-needed relief to millions of Americans," Carl said. "Under the Trump administration, we had regular oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, and the United States became energy independent. My bill would require two new oil and gas lease sales each year in the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska, while also prohibiting oil and gas lease sales from being blocked or slowed down again."

“It’s a very simple question: Does America want to produce our own affordable energy and create jobs here, or do we want to continue to buy expensive energy and fund authoritarian regimes like Putin? We choose America every time. This package of legislation helps to correct the failed energy policies that have caused a surge in gasoline and electricity bills across our country and return to a path of American energy dominance,” Graves said.

"Many energy producers in New Mexico are in limbo due to the permitting backlog at the Department of the Interior. DOI is refusing to process hundreds of vital permits due to frivolous lawsuits being brought by radical environmental groups like the WildEarth Guardians. These groups are weaponizing the federal court system to stop energy production on federal lands and the Biden Administration is willfully allowing them to do so. Americans are paying record amounts at the pump because of these lawsuits and the failed policies of this administration. My bill, the Energy Permitting Certainty Act, would require DOI to process hundreds of vital permits and help boost our domestic energy production at this critical moment," Herrell said. 

"As Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I am committed to holding the Biden Administration accountable as they push policies that further exacerbate our worsening energy crisis. The Promoting Energy Independence and Transparency Act will direct the Department of the Interior to issue all energy permits that meet the necessary criteria and improve transparency requirements so we can shine a light on how the President’s policies are driving up energy costs, increase our domestic energy production, and lower our dependence on foreign nations for oil and gas. As gas prices continue to skyrocket and global instability threatens our access to energy, it is past time we invest in America," Moore said. 

"The Biden administration imposed an illegal moratorium on federal onshore and offshore lease sales, damaging our nation’s traditional energy production and energy independence when we needed it most," Rosendale said. "My bill would prohibit the President from pausing, canceling, or delaying the onshore federal leasing process that provides millions of Americans with affordable fuel and powers the economies of many rural states like Montana. The Biden administration must end its war on traditional energy production, pursue an all-the-above energy strategy, and resolve the energy crisis facing our nation."

"It is critical that we hold this administration accountable as they continue to run from the ongoing energy crisis. This legislation is crucial for ensuring steady offshore oil and gas production. Without a renewed plan, there is potential for unnecessary delays, creating significant uncertainty for the offshore oil and gas industries. This bill will help provide the certainty necessary for continued investment in offshore production and thus ensuring our domestic energy security," Van Duyne said. 

Background

The six bills introduced today: 

The Unleashing American Energy Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Ala.), requires a minimum of two oil and gas lease sales to be held annually in available federal waters in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area, and in the Alaska Region of the Outer Continental Shelf. 

The Securing American Energy and Investing in Resiliency Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), requires the Department of the Interior to conduct all remaining offshore oil and gas lease sales in the current leasing plan and issue leases won as a result of Lease Sale 257. 

The Energy Permitting Certainty Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.), requires the Department of the Interior to process Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs) under a valid existing lease regardless of any unrelated civil action. 

The Promoting Energy Independence and Transparency Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), requires any pending permits for which required views have been completed be issued within 30 days of enactment.

The Restore Onshore Energy Production Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), immediately resumes oil and gas lease sales on eligible federal lands and requires a minimum of four leases sales per year in each state with an oil and gas program. 

The Strategy to Secure Offshore Energy Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), requires the publications of the 2022-2027 plan for offshore oil and gas lease sales by the time the current plan expires on June 30, 2022. 

Additional Republican legislation already referred to the Committee on Natural Resources to promote an all-of-the-above energy strategy includes: 

H.R. 2604, Accessing America's Critical Mineral Act, introduced by . U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), reforms onerous and duplicative steps in the critical mineral permitting process by requiring federal agencies to adhere to timelines and improve coordination.  

H.R. 2637, American Critical Minerals Independence Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), invests in recycling technologies and innovative mining and processing techniques, streamlines the permitting of critical minerals production, and requires that agencies analyze the mineral potential of federal lands. 

H.R. 4334, American Energy First Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), reforms the onshore and offshore energy leasing and permitting processes for conventional and renewable energy development to reduce uncertainty, avoid unnecessary delays, and prevent large unilateral land grabs by the Biden administration.