Press Releases

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08) joined House Republicans in voting to pass numerous pieces of legislation pushing back against the Biden administration’s rush-to-green, anti-American energy agenda. During Energy Week, Dr. Bucshon and his congressional colleagues followed through on their commitment to pass legislation that will lower energy costs for American families and unleash American energy production to protect our national security and the security of our allies abroad. Dr. Bucshon, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the statement below:

“The Biden administration and congressional Democrats’ war on American energy has increased prices, eliminated thousands of jobs, and made U.S. businesses less competitive worldwide,” said Dr. Bucshon. “This week, House Republicans celebrated Energy Week, passing multiple pieces of legislation to reverse disastrous rush-to-green policies in order to support economic growth, affordability and reliability for consumers, and global energy security. While today marks the end of Energy Week, I will always advocate for commonsense pro-American energy policies that will provide affordable energy to Hoosiers and Americans across the nation.”

BACKGROUND

Dr. Bucshon has remained a strong advocate for an energy agenda that promotes economic growth, affordability and reliability for consumers, and bolsters U.S. energy security. Dr. Bucshon has continually rejected the Biden administration’s rush-to-green agenda, emphasizing that our nation’s energy policy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game and that’s why we need an all-of-the-above approach to support growth while limiting government overreach. 

Dr. Bucshon and House Republicans voted to pass: 

Protecting American Energy Production Act:

Fracking has been a crucial part of domestic energy production for decades, allowing the U.S. to become a global leader in oil and gas production and reducing our reliance on foreign energy sources. This legislation ensures that President Biden cannot follow through on his campaign promise of implementing a fracking ban, which would have detrimental impacts on our economy and national energy security. 

• Prevents the administration from unilaterally banning hydraulic fracturing without Congressional authorization.
• Includes a sense of Congress that States, not the federal government, should maintain primacy for regulating fracking on State and private lands.

Restoring American Energy Dominance Act:

Since taking office, the Biden administration has used every tool at their disposal to stifle oil and gas production and increase costs for producers. However, their rush to green energy and attempt to force an energy transition ultimately affects consumers’ pocketbooks the most. 

• This legislation nullifies a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule that would restrict oil and gas production on federal lands.
• Under the rule entitled “Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process”, the BLM gives themselves the authority to restrict domestic energy production that will hurt small businesses and increase costs for consumers. 
• The BLM rule does the following:

• Ends nationwide bonding and arbitrarily increases rates on individual lease bonds from $10,000 to $150,000 and increases statewide lease bonds from $25,000 to $500,000. 
• Incorporates a new metric of “preference criteria” for onshore oil and gas leasing, handing more power to bureaucrats to limit areas available for production.
• Increases current fees and includes new fees for producers.

Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy:

• This resolution highlights the damage that a carbon tax would do to the economy, jobs, and the pocketbooks of Americans already struggling with inflation and high energy prices.
• The concurrent resolution resolves that it is the sense of Congress that a carbon tax is not in the best interest of the United States.

Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act

This legislation reforms and streamlines permitting processes under the Clean Water Act, providing relief against bureaucratic red tape for agriculture producers, builders, and energy producers while maintaining clean water protections.

• Improves transparency in the EPA’s development of water quality criteria for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits by allowing additional public participation and limiting judicial review.
• Requires a two-year notice if a general permit will not be reissued under the NPDES.
• Prohibits the EPA from vetoing a dredge and fill permit before an application has been submitted, or after a permit has been issued by the Army Corps of Engineers. 
• Provides clarity for infrastructure and energy projects by codifying practices surrounding dredge and fill Nationwide Permits (NWPs) and ensures frivolous lawsuits do not delay the permitting process. 
• Requires the EPA and the Corps to begin to develop implementation guidance for WOTUS following the Sackett v. EPA SCOTUS decision that reined in the EPA’s overreaching WOTUS rule. 
• Extends the maximum term for a general permit from a period of 5 years to 10 years.

Denouncing the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration:

• This resolution highlights the disastrous actions the Biden administration has taken to kill U.S. energy production, which has led to all-time-high energy prices for consumers. 

Resolves that the House of Representatives denounces the Biden administration’s anti-American energy and lands policies and encourages the domestic production of reliable and affordable energy sources.