(Washington, D.C.) – Wyoming Congresswoman and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) issued the following statement after introducing two bills, “The Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act” and, “The Safeguarding Coal Leasing Act” this morning. These bills would prohibit any moratorium on federal oil and gas leasing or permitting or coal leasing unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted by Congress.
The executive actions from the Biden Administration banning new leasing and permitting on federal land endanger our economy and threaten our national security. The legislation I am introducing today would safeguard against these damaging orders, and prevent the job loss, higher energy costs, and loss of revenue that promises to come with them. These bills will defend the interests of the people of Wyoming and our nation, and I will work with partners in Washington to push for their consideration.
-Congresswoman Liz Cheney
Rep. Cheney introduced the Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act with the following co-sponsors:
- Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16)
- Rep. Scott Perry (PA-10)
- Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03)
- Rep. Glenn Thompson (PA-15)
- Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-02)
- Rep. David McKinley (WV-01)
- Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14)
- Rep. Ken Buck (CO-04)
- Rep. Michael Burgess (TX-26)
- Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13)
- Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05)
- Rep. Tracey Mann (KS-01)
- Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04)
- Rep. Ron Wright (TX-06)
- Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-09)
- Rep. Alex Mooney (WV-02)
- Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12)
- Rep. John Joyce (PA-13)
- Rep. Ron Estes (KS-04)
- Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-04)
- Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-08)
Rep. Cheney introduced the Safeguarding Coal Leasing and Permitting Act with the following co-sponsors:
- Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16)
- Rep. Scott Perry (PA-10)
- Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03)
- Rep. Glenn Thompson (PA-15)
- Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-02)
- Rep. David McKinley (WV-01)
- Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14)
- Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04)
- Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-09)
- Rep. Alex Mooney (WV-02)
- Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12)
- Rep. John Joyce (PA-13)
- Rep. Ron Estes (KS-04)
- Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-04)
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon endorsed both pieces of this legislation, and issued the following statement offering his support:
“I commend Congresswoman Cheney for her continued leadership to protect the people of Wyoming. The introduction of the Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act, along with similar legislation for coal, underscores her support of Wyoming. The leasing moratorium announced by the Biden administration today shows that traditional Wyoming energy industries are being targeted by climate-only activists. By sponsoring these bills, Cheney shows that Congress needs to participate in these brash, unilateral DC-based actions.
“Oil and gas industries across the West are hit hard by the Biden administration’s executive action– eight Western states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming) could lose $8 billion in GDP and over $2 billion in tax revenue per year. This is a bipartisan issue. I thank Congresswoman Cheney for taking it on.”
Pete Obermueller, President of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming also issued the following statement about the Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act:
“Wyomingites know that a government closest to the people leads to better results. Representative Cheney’s ‘Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act’ will require any actions proposed by extremists within the Biden Administration to gut America’s multiple-use mandate be approved by Congress. The Petroleum Association of Wyoming applauds Congresswoman Cheney’s common-sense bill that will give voice to those elected offices with a constitutional responsibility to represent the people and lands affected by these misguided attempts to wreak havoc on economies across the West.”
Wyoming Mining Association Executive Director Travis Deti issued the following statement about the Safeguarding Coal Leasing Act:
“Representative Cheney has always been a strong advocate for Wyoming’s mining industry, and we appreciate her continued support.”
And finally, Mallori Miller, Vice President of Government Relations at Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) issued the following statement about the Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act:
“IPAA applauds Rep. Cheney for introducing legislation to ensure extreme activist agendas from the Executive branch cannot play out on federally owned land without the input of the elected officials who represent such lands. The majority of federal lands have a multiple use mandate, which includes oil and gas development, agriculture, recreation, and other uses. The royalties collected from mineral production on these public lands help fund western state budgets, including schools, transportation and other infrastructure projects where a bulk of land mass is federally owned. IPAA supports this reasonable approach to governing.”
BACKGROUND:
The text of the bills can be found here and here.
The bills provide that any order or other action imposing a moratorium on Federal oil and gas leasing or permitting, or coal leasing shall not take effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted by Congress within 30 legislative days.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is subject to requirements with regard to leasing and permitting under the Mineral Leasing Act and the Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting Act makes it clear that any order of action that would result in a moratorium would cause the Bureau of Land Management to be in violation of its statutory requirements.
This legislation is supported by the Wyoming Mining Association, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, the Western Energy Alliance, and the Independent Petroleum Association of America.