House Passes Bill Blocking Future Presidents From Banning Oil Drilling Without Congress’ Approval

The Republican-led House passed legislation in a 226 to 188 vote aimed at ensuring that future administrations cannot prohibit oil and gas drilling without congressional approval.

Known as the “Protecting American Energy Production Act,” the bill, which was approved on Friday, explicitly prevents the president from “declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium.”

All Republican representatives voted in favor of the measure, while 118 Democrats opposed it.

The legislation follows former President Joe Biden’s decision, made just weeks before he left office, to block future oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters, alongside other restrictions on the industry.

Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized that concerns about potential fracking bans under the Biden administration spurred the need for the legislation.

“When President Biden took office, his administration took a ‘whole of government’ approach to wage war on American energy production, pandering to woke environmental extremists and crippling this thriving industry,” Pfluger stated after the bill’s passage.

“My legislation that passed today is a necessary first step in reversing Biden’s war on energy by preventing the federal government from banning the use of hydraulic fracturing,” he added.

Former President Donald Trump, a strong advocate for increasing domestic energy output, has long championed his “drill, baby, drill” policy since his campaign.

If enacted into law, the bill would prevent future administrations from imposing bans on hydraulic fracturing.

Additionally, on Monday, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum initiated internal reviews of agency measures that “burden” energy development, rolling back “coercive” climate regulations and oil lease restrictions imposed under Biden’s tenure.