Energy production on federal land has declined by seven percent under the Obama administration and gas prices have doubled. In a recent Weekly Republican Address, Speaker John Boehner challenged President Obama to urge Senate Democrats to act on House-passed energy bills. These bills – all part of the American Energy Initiative – would increase production, stop policies that drive up gas prices, and create jobs.
Here’s a quick look at the American Energy Initiative bills passed by the House so far:
- Energy Tax Prevention Act (H.R. 910) – Passed the House on 4/7/11 by 255-172 – would prevent the Obama administration from imposing a job-crushing “cap and trade” national energy tax that will drive up gasoline prices and destroy American jobs.
- Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act (H.R. 1230) – Passed the House on 5/5/11 by 266-149 – requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Virginia that have been delayed or canceled by the Obama Administration.
- Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act (H.R. 1229) – Passed the House on 5/11/11 by 263-163 – would end the de facto moratorium on American energy production in the Gulf of Mexico in a safe and transparent manner by setting firm timelines for considering new drilling permits.
- Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act (H.R. 1231) – Passed the House on 5/12/11 by 243-179 – would lift the president’s ban on new offshore drilling by allowing new production to go forward in areas containing the most oil and natural gas resources.
- Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011 (H.R. 2021) – Passed the House on 6/22/11 by 253-166 – would help end permitting delays by the Obama administration and unlock access to an estimated 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in Alaska.
- North American-Made Energy Security Act (H.R. 1938) – Passed the House on 7/26/11 by 279-147 – would have required a decision by President Obama on the popular Keystone XL pipeline, which he eventually rejected and personally lobbied Democratic Senators to oppose.
- Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation (TRAIN) Act (H.R. 2401) – Passed the House on 9/23/11 by 249-169 - would require a study of the cumulative impacts of Obama administration rules on jobs, energy prices, and electric reliability, and would stop implementation of two of the most damaging rules for coal and coal-fired power.
- Protecting Next Generation Energy Security (PIONEERS) Act (H.R. 3408) – Passed the House on 2/9/12 by 237-187 – would set clear rules and remove regulatory barriers preventing the production of U.S. oil shale, offshore, and ANWR resources.
- Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (H.R. 2842) – Passed the House on 3/7/12 by 265-154 – “would help expand production of clean, renewable hydropower by cutting red tape and getting government out of the way,” as Speaker Boehner said.
- Domestic Energy & Jobs Act (H.R. 4480) – Passed the House on 6/21/12 by 248-163 - a package of seven bills rolled out by the House Energy Action Team that address high energy costs hurting American families and crippling small businesses, and will create thousands of new jobs.
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