Support American Energy and Stop the White House’s Shutdown in Alaska

Amanda Eversole
Posted April 30, 2024

Heads Up: U.S. House members have a perfect opportunity this week to protect America’s energy advantage by supporting H.R. 6285, the Alaska Right to Produce Act, sponsored by Reps. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK) and Pete Stauber (R-MN).

H.R. 6285 Background: The Alaska Right to Produce Act reverses recent decisions that will restrict oil and natural gas development in areas of Alaska that Congress specifically reserved for energy production to strengthen U.S. security. H.R. 6285 is supported by the entire Alaska congressional delegation. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) is sponsoring S.3289, a Senate companion bill.

Zoom In On ANWR: H.R. 6285 would reverse Biden administration actions from the previous three years. These actions put a stop to oil and natural gas development in an airport-sized area within the 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):

• In 2021, the Biden administration suspended existing oil leases in ANWR that had been authorized by Congress in 2017.
• The Biden administration’s efforts were finalized in September 2023. The actions ignored statutory requirements and threatened critical revenue to Native Alaskans. Kaktovik Mayor Annie Tikluk said the community was “blindsided” by the action.

Zoom In On NPR-A: A second Biden assault on Alaska energy focuses on putting millions of acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) off limits to oil and natural gas development. NPR-A was created by Congress for national defense purposes.

• On April 19 the administration submitted final rules to remove 13 million acres of NPR-A from consideration for future oil and natural gas development, more than half the reserve’s total acreage.
• The rule undermines America’s energy advantage in a world that will need oil and natural gas for decades to come.

H.R. 6285 Reverses the Trend: H.R. 6285 reinstates the previously congressionally mandated ANWR lease sales and cancels the administration’s final NPR-A rule.

Alaskans Hit Hard by Bad Energy Policies: The aforementioned Biden administration actions are likely to bring devastating economic and social consequences on Alaska and North Slope communities, all of which rely on revenues from energy development to sustain their livelihoods.

• Oil and natural gas in Alaska generated $16.1 billion of the state’s economy in 2021 and supported over 36,000 direct and indirect jobs.

U.S. Security Hit Hard by Politics: In a recent column in the Wall Street Journal, Sen. Sullivan noted: “All of this punishment for Alaska comes as the Administration eases sanctions on Venezuelan oil production and fails to enforce oil sanctions on Iran. Meantime, the Russians and Chinese are increasing investment in Arctic oil, gas and mineral development. If Alaska were a dictatorship hostile to U.S. interests, it would get better treatment. Alas, it’s merely a U.S. state that doesn’t vote for Joe Biden.”

Another Bill to Watch – and Support – This Week: Sponsored by Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), H.R. 3397, the Western Economic Security Today Act would overturn more misguided federal regulations. Existing rules make it harder for U.S. companies to expand access and production of America's natural resources. We support conservation and land management rules that balance energy development on federal lands.

Bottom Line: Vote “Yes” on H.R. 3397 and H.R. 6285 this week to strengthen U.S. energy leadership, protect local Native Alaskan communities, and bolster Alaska’s strategically critical contribution to American energy leadership, economic vitality and global security.