Oklahoma Congresswoman Stephanie Bice says a bill she introduced in the U.S. House would roll back what she calls the “anti-energy policies” of the Biden Administration.
In a column this week, the Republican Representative explained H.R. 1 would not only repeal the $6 billion natural gas tax but also harmful royalties and fees imposed on energy production.
Her measure would also prohibit the Biden administration from banning hydraulic fracturing and require the Interior Department to resume lease sales on federal lands and waters.
” When energy prices skyrocket, the consequences trickle down throughout our entire economy, contributing to record-high inflation we see in grocery stores. Americans shouldn’t have to choose between driving to work and putting food on the table,” wrote Rep. Bice.
The Congressional Western Caucus formally endorsed H.R. 1 on Thursday.
“Time and time again, the Biden Administration has hampered American energy production while simultaneously begging our adversaries to increase their resources,” said Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04).
“The Western Caucus has voted to endorse H.R. 1 because it increases domestic energy production, streamlines and modernizes our outdated permitting process, and boosts the processing of critical minerals with American jobs. We stand united in pushing back on this administration’s anti-energy agenda by passing much-needed legislation to restore American energy independence.”
Here is Bice’s column:
Not long ago, the U.S. was the largest energy producer in the world and gas was affordable. That all changed on President Biden’s first day in office when he began his assault on American energy. He halted energy projects, shut down pipeline construction, and took every step to discourage the production of domestic energy. Sadly, it’s the American people who have been paying the price. Gas prices reached a historic high of over $5 last summer, and the current average remains 44% higher than before Biden took office. Additionally, American households were expected to pay the highest energy costs in 15 years over the winter. When energy prices skyrocket, the consequences trickle down throughout our entire economy, contributing to record-high inflation we see in grocery stores. Americans shouldn’t have to choose between driving to work and putting food on the table. Luckily, my House Republican colleagues and I introduced H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, which would unleash American energy, reform broken permitting processes, and reduce prices for families.
Specifically, H.R. 1 would roll back anti-energy policies put forward by the Biden Administration. It would repeal the $6 billion natural gas tax and harmful royalties and fees imposed on energy production. It also prohibits Biden from banning hydraulic fracturing, requires the Department of the Interior to resume lease sales on federal lands and waters, and much more. These policies would finally unleash America’s untapped potential.
The Lower Energy Costs Act also includes one of my pieces of legislation, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act. This bill would streamline and improve the permitting process for energy development and remove burdensome regulations. Oklahoma is one of the largest energy producers in the country, providing thousands of jobs in our community and throughout the nation. House Republicans are fulfilling our promises in the Commitment to America by passing legislation to restore energy independence. I remain committed to cutting bureaucratic red tape, which will allow Oklahoma energy producers to do what we do best, power our nation, and my legislation is just one of the provisions within H.R. 1 that will do so.