U.S. House Committee Approves Controversial Oil Leasing Bill
WASHINGTON — In a notably quiet session, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee has passed a bill requiring new oil lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and permitting the construction of the Ambler Road across protected federal land in Northwest Alaska. The committee approved these measures early Wednesday as part of a budget reconciliation bill, with minimal engagement from Republican members.
Democrats attempted to provoke debate, introducing over a hundred amendments aimed at blocking the Arctic oil lease requirement. “The Trump administration’s reckless push to sell off the refuge isn’t about lowering energy costs. It’s about sacrificing your public lands for his billionaire buddies,” argued Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., urging colleagues to protect the refuge instead.
However, Republicans remained largely silent, with Alaska Congressman Nick Begich III and others focusing on their phones instead of responding to the Democrats. Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., even took a moment to announce that sandwiches were on the way, further indicating the lack of urgency in the discussions.
The bill passed with a final vote of 26-17, with just one Democrat supporting it. Begich defended the measure, calling it a “major victory for Alaska and American energy independence.” Meanwhile, voices opposing the drilling, like Athan Manuel from the Sierra Club, expressed concerns over the diminishing bipartisanship in Congress, noting that past debates were more heated and diverse in perspectives.
The reconciliation bill also includes provisions for lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve and Cook Inlet, though dissent among Republicans remains, with some expressing concerns over the bill’s impact on the deficit.
Source
Photo credit alaskapublic.org
