Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) released the following statements about H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act:

"Republicans are delivering on our promises to the American people by unleashing the full power of our energy and minerals, cutting permitting delays, creating jobs, growing our economy and dealing a blow to China and Russia," Westerman said. "Energy security is national security. At long last, H.R. 1 will give Americans the tools to tap into our resources and build stronger, more resilient communities than ever before. When families no longer have to worry about how they'll afford to fill up their gas tanks or turn on a light switch, they have the necessary breathing room to invest in our economy. I believe our best years as a country are still ahead, but we won't get there by taking a backseat and outsourcing an ever-growing demand for natural resources to our foreign adversaries. We are taking back control, putting America first and unlocking access to the cleanest, safest energy production the world has ever seen."

"From the gas station to the grocery store, President Biden’s war on American energy is making life more difficult and more expensive for the hardworking people of this country," McMorris Rodgers said. "It is also weakening our security and making us dangerously reliant on China’s supply chains that are more harmful to the environment and use slave labor. We’re leading in H.R. 1 to lower prices, secure our supply chains, cut our reliance on the Chinese Communist Party and build more energy infrastructure. It’s just the beginning of our work on energy and climate solutions to restore America’s energy dominance, make life affordable again, and ensure we continue to lead the world at reducing emissions."

"Addressing America’s ongoing energy crisis is one of the most important actions this Congress can take," Graves said. "The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the Water Quality Certification and Energy Projects Improvement Act of 2023, which will prevent the Clean Water Act Section 401 process from being hijacked and weaponized to block important energy projects. I’m proud to have this legislation included as part of H.R. 1’s commonsense and comprehensive approach to solidifying our energy independence." 

Background

House Committee on Natural Resources Republicans advanced H.R. 1335, the Transparency, Access, Permitting and Production of (TAPP) American Resources Act, during a full committee markup today. 

The TAPP American Resources Act would restart the leasing process for oil, natural gas and coal development and streamline the permitting process for all forms of energy and mineral development on federal lands and waters, reform the National Environmental Policy Act to establish timelines for - and clarify the scope of - environmental reviews, roll back harmful royalties and fee increases imposed on energy production, and ensure parity in energy revenue sharing for states with onshore and offshore energy development. 

This legislation will become part of H.R. 1, along with legislative provisions advanced through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.