February 6, 2021

PRESS RELEASE – Washington, DC

U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R. CO-03) introduced H.R. 859, the Protecting American Energy Jobs Act. 

The Biden administration has waged an all-out attack on responsible energy production and fossil fuels. This president is pursuing ideological and partisan policies contained in the Green New Deal to try and kill off the oil and gas industry.

President Biden has unilaterally imposed multiple executive orders that threaten millions of jobs and responsible energy production. One of Biden’s unlawful executive orders imposed an indefinite ban on all new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and in federal waters. Another executive order cancelled the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and imposed other job-killing mandates that explicitly targeted fossil fuels. His Interior Department’s Secretarial Order imposed a 60-day halt on all oil and gas drilling and permitting as well as all mining plans.

Over the next two decades, Biden’s federal leasing ban is estimated to result in $639.6 billion in lost GDP, $286 billion in lost wages, $151 billion in lost state tax revenue, and job losses climbing to 343,088 annually in eight western states alone. The Keystone Pipeline is projected to support more than 70,000 total jobs and create more than 10,000 direct jobs. Good-paying energy jobs are often the lifeblood of rural communities. Nationally, more than 10 million jobs are supported by oil and gas.  

The Protecting American Energy Jobs Act repeals Biden’s job-killing executive mandates, ensures reliable and affordable energy supplies for future generations, and fosters economic growth and job creation in rural communities. 

H.R. 859 is a one-stop-shop for ending Biden’s attack on American energy and nullifying his related executive orders.

Specific provisions in the bill:

·       Nullifies Biden’s job-killing energy executive actions by ensuring Executive Order 13990, Executive Order 14008, and Secretarial Order 3395 are repealed;

·       Prohibits future unilateral energy and mineral moratoriums by presidents on federal lands and in federal waters and requires Congressional approval for actions that prohibit or delay leases and permits for oil and gas, coal, hard rock and critical minerals;

·       Prohibits future unilateral withdrawals of federal lands and federal waters without Congressional approval; and

·       Strikes Section 12(a) authority to prevent presidents from arbitrarily implementing offshore energy moratoriums for political reasons (Congress can still make withdrawals).  

Other actions that result from the provisions in the bill:

·       Nullifies the indefinite ban for new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and in federal waters;

·       Nullifies the 60-day moratorium on new mining plans as well as new oil and gas leasing and drilling on federal lands and in federal waters;

·       Nullifies the revocation of the Presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline; and

·       Nullifies the moratorium on all oil and natural gas leasing activities in Section 1002 of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an area designated for such activities by Congress. 

22 original cosponsors joined Congresswoman Boebert in introducing her bill including: Representatives Brian Babin (TX-36), Jim Banks (IN-03), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Jim Baird (IN-04), Mo Brooks (AL-05), Ben Cline (VA-06), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Ron Estes (KS-04), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Paul Gosar (AZ-04), H. Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Jody Hice (GA-10), Trent Kelly (MS-01), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Scott Perry (PA-10), Chip Roy (TX-21), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Greg Steube (FL-17), Randy Weber (TX-14), Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Don Young (AK-At Large).

Supporters of the bill include: American Exploration & Mining Association, Arizona Deer Association, AZ BASS Nation, The Arizona Bass Federation, Blake International Rigs, LLC, California Independent Petroleum Association, Citizens Against Government Waste, Colorado Mining Association, Conservatives for Property Rights, Cordilleran Metals Corporation, enCore Energy Corp, Expeditors & Production Services, Golden Vertex Corp, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, Heritage Action, Highland Tellurides Corporation, International Association of Drilling Contractors, International Association of Geophysical Contractors, Less Government, New Mexico Business Coalition, Pelican Institute, Pharma Safe Industrial Services, Platoro West Incorporated, Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity, Rio Grande Foundation, US Oil and Gas Association, Western Energy Alliance, West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association, Yuma County Water Users’ Association.

In 2020, oil and gas drilling on federal lands provided $11.7 billion to federal, state, local and tribal governments. Responsible oil and gas production contributes billions of dollars annually to public education. These resources also help fund important infrastructure projects and emergency services. 

U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R. CO-03) stated, “With the stroke of his pen, that sometimes takes him awhile to find, Joe Biden has unilaterally imposed job-killing, anti-energy mandates that are going to crush my district and the people that live within in it. Hard-working men and women will be forced to come home and tell their families that they were laid off and that they must move out of the only neighborhood they have ever known. There is no reason the U.S. should become more dependent on volatile foreign sources from countries like Russia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia when we can safely produce these resources right here in America. While Joe Biden continues to pander to campaign donors and extremist environmentalists, I’ll continue to fight for jobs and the people of Colorado’s Third District.”