American Energy Security

"Securing America’s energy future will require a comprehensive plan and involvement from many federal and state entities, as well as utilizing all of the natural resources that our nation has been blessed with. Creating a strong and structured energy infrastructure that gets the most out of our natural resources will ease sustainability concerns and create jobs along the way. To do this, we must also remove duplicative federal permitting regulations that accomplish in a year what the states could do in a month – bringing progress to a screeching halt," said Congressman Doug LaMalfa.

The Western Caucus supports American energy dominance and believes we need to increase its energy security through environmentally responsible production from our huge untapped energy resources. We do our nation and the world a disservice when we continue to rely on foreign energy sources. The Western Caucus supports American energy, which displaces the influence of regimes that use their control of energy supplies to bully us and our allies. Misguided efforts to prevent domestic energy production from fossil fuels is shortsighted and not in the long-term interest of the nation.

Members of the Western Caucus support policies that increase, diversify, and facilitate the production and delivery of reliable and affordable energy supplies from all domestic sources. Western Caucus members have introduced a number of bills that embrace a true all-of-the-above energy strategy and aim to ensure U.S. energy security.

The SECURE American Energy Act
Majority Whip Scalise and House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop’s introduced the Secure Act American Energy Act. This legislation sought to create good jobs by establishing improved processes for oil, gas and wind that will make better use of our plentiful offshore resources and empowering states to streamline onshore oil and gas development. This bill is the posterchild for American energy dominance. This bill has passed the House Committee on natural Resources. Click HERE to read more.

Making Energy and Mineral Production on Public Lands Competitive with Production on State and Private Lands
Thanks to technological breakthroughs and American entrepreneurship, our country has experienced an energy renaissance with production booms on private and state lands driving the U.S. economy. The Western Caucus fought to overcome the Obama Administration’s dogmatic opposition to energy production on public lands, which handicapped America’s energy potential and robbed economic opportunity from local communities. Whether oil, gas, coal, rare earths or other mineral resources, America possesses the expertise necessary to produce these resources consistent with the environmental stewardship Americans expect, especially those who live near and rely on the health of our public lands. We have a really opportunity with the Trump Administration to increase responsible energy production on federal lands and reduce permitting times which can often take 7-10 years.


Responsible Energy Development in ANWR
Most geologists agree that the potential of recoverable oil and gas on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) may rival the initial reserves at Prudhoe Bay. In 1980, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the Coastal Plain could contain up to 17 billion barrels of oil and 34 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In 2017, Members of the Western Caucus traveled to Alaska to see these issues firsthand and played a critical role in authorizing two leases sales totaling 800,000 acres in Section 1002 of ANWR through legislation signed into law. Should subsequent commercial discoveries be made, it will take several years for oil and gas production in ANWR to reach  the market. That production will then be urgently needed to help meet domestic demand, so taking advantage of this key resource is critical to our national energy security.


Supporting Environmentally-Sound Energy Production in the Outer Continental Shelf
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is estimated to hold nearly 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 90 billion barrels of oil. This is enough natural gas to heat 100 million homes for 60edyears or enough oil to replace current Persian Gulf imports for 59 years. The Obama Administration’s neglect of federally controlled energy resources extended offshore as the Administration erects regulatory and procedural barriers to producing the lion’s share of oil and natural gas resources on the outer continental shelf, taking nearly 94% off the table. These obstructive tactics belie any claims by the Administration of an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, despite technological advances making offshore production even safer and environmentally responsible. The Western Caucus will continue to support responsible and targeted offshore energy production that is vital to keeping our nation energy secure. Led by the Western Caucus, 155 Members of both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate sent letters encouraging adoption of a new 5-year plan that recognizes America’s energy potential. The Trump Administration responded favorably to this request proposing 47 lease sales and opening up over 90 percent of the total OCS in the draft 2019-2024 plan. Click HERE to read more.

Maintain Accessibility to Coal
As we work to integrate alternative, intermittent energy sources into our power grid, coal remains critical to keeping prices affordable and the grid reliable. The United States boasts enormous recoverable coal reserves, so much so that U.S. coal producers can meet domestic demand and export thousands of tons to help bring electricity to the estimated 1.3 billion people in the world who currently live with no electricity at all. New technologies to convert coal to liquid fuel and to gasify deep coal seams promise to bring clean-coal resources to the market. Instead of marginalizing coal production through regulatory strangulation, the United States should support the affordability and reliability of coal as an energy source. Further, we should continue to encourage innovation and explore new technology like the Petra Nova Facility, the only coal-fired carbon capture power plant in the United States.

All-of-the-above Energy Strategy
Members of the Western Caucus support an all-of-the-above energy approach that utilizes all domestic energy sources including copper, coal, oil and natural gas, as well as renewables. Congressman Scott Tipton introudced the Planning for American Energy Act. This bill set the United States on a path to developing a responsible, all-of-the-above energy strategy and passed the House Committee on Natural Resources. This legislation requires an all-of-the-above energy approach in order to better meet the changing energy needs of the American people, keep energy costs affordable, create more jobs, and strengthen national security. Click HERE to read more.