U.S. Representatives File Legislation in Response to Biden’s Executive Order

February 2, 2021

President Biden has made it clear he is waging a war on the oil and gas industry in his first days in office, signing a record number of executive orders, actions, and presidential memorandums against the industry.

One of those executive orders halted new oil and gas leases on public lands and offshore waters and called for the review of existing permits for fossil fuel development. While not an outright ban on fracking, he comes as close as he can.

Not to mention his political appointees to the Department of Interior is packed with names from the eco-left who have publicly been against the oil and gas industry, and will no doubt do everything they can to ensure that the processes for issuing permits to drill and conduct hydraulic fracturing will be drastically slowed down.

Luckily, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), along with several Republican colleagues, introduced a bill a day after Biden issued his executive order halting oil and gas leases on public lands and waters, that would override the president’s order if passed into law and ensure oil producers retain access to energy reservoirs in the Outer Continental Shelf.

Community Impact Newspaper reports: 

According to a press release, this bill would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require at least two annual lease sales on available acreage in the western and central Gulf of Mexico and maintain all current environmental laws.

Crenshaw, who was also selected to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the 117th Congress, said the Conservation Funding Protection Act would protect Texas energy jobs.

“Undermining Texas energy jobs and American energy independence appears to be a top priority of the Biden-Harris White House, and the administration is showing little regard to the livelihoods of blue-collar workers who are already struggling during this pandemic,” Crenshaw said in a statement. “Energy production is critical for jobs, our economy, and also funds coastland conservation and hurricane preparedness.”

Rep. Crenshaw who represents Houston, TX is a prime example of an elected official looking out for the interests of his constituents. Since the second quarter of 2019, Houston is down 31,000 energy jobs. The industry is trying to recover, yet federal government regulation and a top-down approach to the industry is further crippling the sector and the millions of American jobs it supports nationwide.