Restoring American Energy Dominance Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, on day one of his administration, Joe Biden declared an all-out war on American energy production and exploration. He has made it clear that he cares more about appeasing the radical climate change activists than protecting the millions of oil and gas workers and producers in America.

I was disappointed but not surprised when the Biden administration filed this proposed rule titled ``Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process,'' which mandates provisions from the partisan so-called Inflation Reduction Act--we know that it didn't reduce inflation; it expanded it--which increased the royalty rate for production on Federal lands while also increasing and creating new fees for domestic energy producers.

This fluid mineral leasing rule is further proof that Joe Biden is using every tool in his administration to dismantle American energy production. It codifies pieces of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which is really the Green New Deal, and makes major nonstatutory changes to the BLM's onshore leasing program.

It increases bonding levels for production on Federal lands and proposes ending nationwide bonding and increasing the minimum bond amounts for individual lease bonds and Statewide lease bonds from $10,000 to $150,000 and from $25,000 to $500,000, respectively. This significant increase will tie up capital that would otherwise be put back into production and is unjustifiable as there are only 37 orphaned oil and gas wells on BLM-managed land.

These increases will impact smaller producers that can't afford to operate in the market. These additional fees will ultimately harm returns and reduce revenues to State and local governments by disincentivizing development on Federal lands.

When environmental extremists create rules like this that are grossly restrictive, they can hinder the development and availability of energy resources that are fundamental to human progress and prosperity. It is important to remember that energy is not just another commodity; it is the lifeblood of modern civilization.

Any regulation in this domain must be evaluated through the lens of its impact on human life and prosperity. This means considering not just the environmental aspects but also how these rules affect energy affordability, reliability, and scalability.

Not-in-my-backyard extremists have regulated States like Colorado into poverty with their reckless and extremely flawed policies.

The proposed rule also introduces the idea of using preference criteria to inform the BLM's selection of lands for lease sales. BLM's rationale for this change is to avoid conflict in areas with ``sensitive cultural, wildlife, and recreation resources.''

I think the people who occupy these lands most--our farmers, our ranchers, and our energy producers--understand the land better than BLM agents in Washington, D.C., in some concrete building or maybe even still working remotely from their homes. These are stewards of our lands, and they do a darn good job at it.

This means that the BLM field office could avoid leasing in all areas with endangered or threatened species, critical habitat, or nearby recreation areas, a move that would greatly limit leasing on Federal lands.

With the wars happening in the Middle East and in Europe and with OPEC significantly lowering oil production, we cannot rely on foreign nations, especially our adversaries, to control our energy supply. That is why I introduced the Restoring American Dominance Act, to terminate this proposed rule and protect American energy producers.

America makes the cleanest energy in the world. American innovation, in particular, fracking, has allowed America to be the global leader in reducing emissions since the year 2000.

We need to stop buying oil and gas from Russia and stop begging Venezuela and Iran, our adversaries, to produce energy for us. We need to start producing more energy responsibly right here in the United States of America. Rather than begging OPEC, let's bring back the American roughneck.

American energy security is paramount for our Nation's economic stability and national security. When we produce our own energy, we control our destiny. We are not at the mercy of international politics, conflicts, or the whims of foreign governments that may not always have our best interests at heart.

Remember, energy is the industry that powers every other industry. The more control we have over our energy sources, the more competitive and secure our economy is. The concept of American energy dominance is not only desirable, it is essential for both national security and global human flourishing. We can literally be exporting freedom around the globe.

Relying on countries like Russia and others for energy is problematic not just from a security standpoint but also from a moral one. Many of these countries have questionable human rights records, to put it mildly. By producing our own energy, we are not just securing our future, we are also not indirectly supporting or enabling regimes that do not align with our values of freedom and human rights.

In essence, producing energy in America is about taking control of our future, ensuring our economic stability, and standing by our principles. It is about ensuring that we can continue to innovate, grow, and flourish, without being beholden to anyone. Frankly, given our vast resources and technological capabilities, there is no good reason not to.

I thank Chairman Westerman and the committee for working with me on this bill to rein in Joe Biden's out-of-control, rogue bureaucrats. I urge my colleagues to support my bill to stop BLM's proposed regulations before they increase energy costs and threaten American energy production even further. American jobs and our national security depend on us taking a stand against this regime.

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