WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Steve Daines (R-MT), and seven Republican colleagues introduced the Supporting Made in America Energy Act to ensure that the United States maintains and grows its energy independence by supporting Made in America energy. The bill bolsters energy independence by requiring the Department of the Interior (DOI) to hold four onshore oil and gas lease sales in the top oil and gas producing states as well as requiring two offshore oil and gas lease sales in each available area in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska.
“The Biden administration has slow walked lease sales since day one in service to a radical, ideological agenda,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Congress is stepping in to ensure all administrations hold onshore and offshore lease sales to achieve energy independence, strengthen national security, and create American jobs.”
“Now more than ever, energy security is national security,” said Senator Daines. “As President Biden continues to push his out-of-touch and unrealistic green agenda on the American people, I’ll continue to push for policies that bolster made-in-America energy.”
Cassidy and Daines were joined by U.S. Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Risch (R-ID), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).
Background
Cassidy has long been a leader in the fight for energy security as the Biden administration continues to block lease sales. In September, Cassidy introduced the Warding Off Hostile Administrative Lease Efforts (WHALE) Act to prevent the U.S. Departments of Commerce and the Interior from issuing maritime rules related to the Rice’s whale that would impede offshore energy development and military activities. In July, Cassidy introduced the Offshore Energy Security Act of 2023 with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), which would require the Department of the Interior (DOI) to hold two offshore oil and gas lease sales in 2024 and 2025.
Cassidy led colleagues in challenging the Biden administration’s unilateral decision to remove 6 million acres from the Gulf Lease Sale after entering into a closed-door settlement agreement with the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and Friends of the Ear and Turtle Island Restoration Network. They filed an amicus brief to restart energy production in the Gulf of Mexico.
Last year, Cassidy released a landmark energy & climate policy outline in response to the Biden administration’s assault on domestic energy. The outline details how we can successfully reset U.S. energy policy, including Cassidy’s plan for an Energy Operation Warp Speed to cut permitting red tape and unleash domestic energy.
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