Not long ago, America was the largest energy producer in the world, and gas was affordable. The Biden Administration then halted energy projects, shut down pipeline construction, and took every step to discourage the production of American energy resources. Americans shouldn’t have to choose between driving to work and putting food on the table. House Republicans are keeping our Commitment to America. H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, would make America energy independent and reduce gas prices.
Sponsored by Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and co-sponsored by Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR), and Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO)—H.R. 1 unleashes American energy and lowers costs for families.
H.R. 1 WOULD UNLEASH AMERICAN ENERGY & LOWER COSTS FOR FAMILIES BY (Courtesy of Majority Leader Steve Scalise):
- Increasing domestic energy production
- Reforming the permitting process for all industries
- Reversing anti-energy policies advanced by the Biden Administration
- Streamlining energy infrastructure and exports
- Boosting the production and processing of critical minerals
Unleash American Energy:
- Prohibits President Biden from banning hydraulic fracturing
- Repeals all restrictions on the import and export of natural gas, including LNG
- Prevents liberal states from blocking interstate infrastructure projects
- Repeals President Biden’s $6 billion natural gas tax that would increase energy bills for families
- Rolls back President Biden’s $27 billion EPA slush fund for Democrat special interests
- Disapproves of President Biden’s canceling of the Keystone XL pipeline
- Requires the Department of the Interior to resume lease sales on federal lands and waters
- Repeals harmful royalties and fee increases imposed on energy production that drive up prices for families
- Ensures parity in energy revenue sharing for states with onshore and offshore energy development
- Requires publication of the 2023-28 offshore oil and gas lease sales plan/sets deadlines for future 5-year plans
Reform Broken Permitting Process:
- Reforms the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permitting process to streamline federal reviews for all sectors of the economy, including at our international borders
- Limits scope of environmental review under NEPA to reasonably foreseeable and economically feasible impacts
- Sets deadlines for completion of NEPA reviews at one year for environmental assessments and two years for environmental impact statements
- Provides certainty by imposing a 120-day deadline on filing litigation on final agency actions concerning energy and mining projects
- Requires that certain low-impact activities and activities in previously studied areas on public lands are not major federal actions under NEPA
- Ends the abuse of the water quality certification process by streamlining the permitting process under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act and limiting review to water quality impacts only
- Enhances America’s ability to develop critical energy resources by improving the environmental permitting processes at critical minerals refining and process facilities
BIDEN’S ENERGY CRISIS BY THE NUMBERS:
- On the day that Biden was sworn into office, the average price for a gallon of gas nationwide was $2.39.
- Today the national average for a gallon of gas is $3.47.
- Biden’s war on American energy resulted in gas prices reaching a historic high of over $5 in June 2022.
- According to the Energy Assistance Directors Association, households are expected to pay the highest energy costs in 15 years this winter.
Click here for an overview of the bill.
Click here for a section-by-section summary of the bill.
Click here for a summary of the Energy and Commerce Committee components of the bill.
Click here for a summary of the Natural Resources Committee components of the bill.
Click here for a summary of the Transportation and Infrastructure components of the bill.
