Burying The Socialist Agenda: House Democrats Vote To Constrain American Energy

Days Before An Attack On Saudi Arabia Choked Global Oil Supplies …

“Saudi energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said early estimates showed that the attack caused a suspension of crude oil supplies of 5.7m barrels or more than 50 per cent of daily production. But he added that part of the loss of supplies to customers would be offset from inventories. He also said gas production had fallen 50 per cent as a result of the attack. … Saudi Arabia supplies more than 10 per cent of global crude and is the world’s largest exporter of oil. The loss of more than 5m barrels a day would be the equivalent of 5 per cent of global oil supply.” (“Saudi Arabia Faces Weeks Without Full Oil Production After Attack,” Financial Times, 9/15/2019)

… House Democrats Voted To Restrict American Oil Exploration In Alaska

“The House on Thursday passed legislation that would block drilling along the shoreline of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)…. An amendment from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) added to the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act brought the prospect of drilling closer to reality by mandating the government hold two lease sales in the coastal plain of ANWR.” (“House Votes To Block Drilling In Arctic Refuge,” The Hill, 9/12/2019)

• On September 12, 2019, the Democrat House majority passed the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act 225-193. (HR 1146, Roll Call Vote #530: Passed 225-193: D 221-5; R 4-187; I 0-1, 9/12/2019)

SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R-WY), Senate Environment And Public Works Committee Chairman: “It’s like the Green New Deal. This far-left agenda that they have. The majority of the House Democrats have co-sponsored it, so it’s in keeping with their radical plans which would significantly hurt the economy…”  (“House Votes To Block Drilling In Arctic Refuge,” The Hill, 9/12/2019)

SEN. DAN SULLIVAN (R-AK): “Democrats in the U.S. House flagrantly ignored the voice of a strong, consistent majority of Alaskans, including those who actually live in ANWR, by passing a reckless bill to block exploration in the 1002 area, a small sliver of ANWR set aside years ago by Congress for resource development … Senator Murkowski, Congressman Young and I—with the help of so many Alaskans—fought hard to get the ANWR provision across the goal line in late 2017, and we have every intention of protecting what we’ve earned. Alaskans should know, the Democrats’ bill will be dead on arrival in the Senate.” (Sen. Sullivan, Press Release, 9/12/2019)

ENERGY COMMITTEE CHAIR SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK), SEN. SULLIVAN, AND REP. DON YOUNG (R-AK): “This week the House of Representatives is set to consider measures that would restrict America’s future energy supply, including one that would block responsible development in northeast Alaska. As the state’s congressional delegation, we are unified in strong opposition and believe passage would be a reckless strategic mistake.” (Sen. Murkowski, Sen. Sullivan, And Rep. Young, Op-Ed, “Unlocking Arctic Energy Is Vital For Alaska—And America,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/11/2019)

• SENS. MURKOWSKI AND SULLIVAN, REP. YOUNG: “We believe, in fairness to Alaskans, that the leasing program should proceed responsibly, with Congress and the Trump administration ensuring that lands and wildlife are cared for. All of us are working to put the proper guidelines in place. Yet some in Congress still remain eager to repeal the provision, based on misperceptions about what is at stake and what most Alaskans want.” (Sen. Murkowski, Sen. Sullivan, And Rep. Young, Op-Ed, “Unlocking Arctic Energy Is Vital For Alaska—And America,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/11/2019)

• SENS. MURKOWSKI AND SULLIVAN, REP. YOUNG: “Despite ceaseless rhetoric about a Green New Deal, the reality is that our nation and the world are demanding the resources that will come from the 1002 Area. If Alaska doesn’t supply them, another country will. Global oil demand is rising, not falling. … Careful development of the 1002 Area will help strengthen America’s economy and improve our energy security in the long-term. It will also benefit global energy markets, allowing the U.S. to provide allies with alternatives to resources from unfriendly nations and cartels” (Sen. Murkowski, Sen. Sullivan, And Rep. Young, Op-Ed, “Unlocking Arctic Energy Is Vital For Alaska—And America,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/11/2019)

Republicans Opened This Area For Responsible Energy Development In The 2017 Tax Cut And Jobs Act

“The Trump administration reached a milestone this week in its plan to open a … part of Alaska to oil and gas development … keep[ing] the Interior Department on track to auction leases for the right to drill in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before the end of the year, a long-stated administration goal.” (“Interior Dept. Takes Next Step Toward Sale of Drilling Leases in Arctic Refuge,” The New York Times, 9/13/2019)

• “Under a 1980 law, Congress left the possibility that 1.5 million acres — about 8 percent of the overall refuge — along the Arctic Ocean coast could be opened to oil and gas development…. In 2017, with Republicans in control of the White House, the Senate and the House, Congress included a section in a tax bill establishing a plan to sell leases in the coastal plain …” (“Interior Dept. Takes Next Step Toward Sale of Drilling Leases in Arctic Refuge,” The New York Times, 9/13/2019)

“A tax cut compromise reached … by GOP negotiators contains a plan to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said. At a tax bill conference committee meeting, Murkowski said the bill ‘contains the single most important step I believe we can take to strengthen our energy security and create new wealth.’ ‘We fought long to authorize a program for energy development in Alaska’s nonwilderness 1002 area,’ she said, using the formal term for the area within the refuge that would see drilling under the GOP plan.” (“Final GOP Tax Bill Would Allow Arctic Refuge Drilling,” The Hill, 12/13/2017)

“The [Republican majority] House voted [in late 2017] for a tax bill that includes a provision mandating that the Interior Department hold lease sales in the so-called 1002 area of the Arctic Refuge, a coastal portion of the 19-million-acre federally protected wilderness area. The refuge is estimated to contain 11.8 billion barrels of technically recoverable crude…. After years of dogged effort, the vote is a victory for Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, the measure’s chief benefactor.” (“Congress Is About to Allow Oil Drilling in Alaska's Arctic Wildlife Refuge,” Time, 12/20/2017)