WEEKLY UPDATE ON WESTERN CAUCUS MEMBERS TAKING ACTION FOR RURAL AMERICA
FARM BILL HIGHLIGHTS FROM WESTERN CAUCUS MEMBERS
The Western Caucus is making stellar moves in D.C.
The passage of the new Interior Appropriations Bill is a true compilation of several victories for western and Rural Americans and their industries.
Here’s an excerpt of the provisions directly from the Congressional Western Caucus’ Press Release on the matter:
- Repeals the Biden Administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation.
- Limits the abuse of the Endangered Species Act by:
- Prohibiting introduction of the grizzly bear in the North Cascades Ecosystem.
- Strengthening the limitation on listing sage grouse to include bi-state population.
- Prohibiting the introduction of bison in the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge.
- Prohibiting the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken.
- Requiring the Department of the Interior to reissue the 2020 rule delisting the gray wolf.
- Prohibiting the up-listing of the northern long-eared bat.
- Prohibiting the listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard.
- Directing the Department of the Interior to reissue the final rule delisting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of Grizzly Bears.
- Requires oil and gas lease sales in the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area and the Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area and in the Alaska region.
- Requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales.
- Prohibits EPA from implementing permitting requirements for livestock emissions under the Clean Air Act.
- Expands access to critical minerals, reducing our domestic reliance on the Chinese supply chain.
- Prohibits funds to enforce certain Bureau of Land Management withdrawals in Minnesota.
- Reinstates certain mineral leases in the Superior National Forest.
- Prohibits funds for the Bureau of Land Management’s Conservation and Landscape Health rule.
I know, that’s a lot, but it’s a lot of good things for Western and Rural America.
CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
We have been making great efforts to provide educational content on YouTube.
I encourage you to check out our first YouTube short which has earned more than 15,000 views and subscribe to our channel!
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we filmed the third episode of Champions of Rural America. This episode will cover Energy Policy, ESA, and Rice’s Whale.
You will see Western Caucus Chairs Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Senator Cynthia Lummis (WY) along with Representatives Jerry Carl (AL-01), Garret Graves (LA-06), and Harriet Hageman (WY-at large).
The episode will air on November 27th and be available on YouTube on November 28th.
Enjoy some BHS photos of the shoot!
SENATE DIGITAL CONNECT
On Tuesday, November 7, The Western Caucus Foundation hosted a discussion on the opportunities and challenges for affordable, reliable American energy as we struggle to remain energy independent with a Federal Administration and their allies in Congress focused on shutting down American production of oil and natural gas. The event featured Senate Western Caucus Chair, Senator Cynthia Lummis (WY).
Thank you to Josiah Aullaqsruaq Patkotak, Mayor of the North Slope Borough, Kate Farr of Occidental Petroleum, Kenny Stein of the Institute for Energy Research, and Dustin Meyer of the American Petroleum Institute for your participation.
WESTERN CAUCUS UPDATES
The bipartisan Alaska’s Right to Produce Act of 2023 was introduced by Congressional Western Caucus Vice Chair Chair and Chairman of the House Natural Resources Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Pete Stauber (MN-08), and Representatives Mary Peltola (AK at-large), Kevin Hern (OK-01), and August Pfluger (TX-11).
If enacted, the bill will shut down the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) decision to prohibit oil and gas development within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and reinstate ended leases canceled by the DOI.
Senator Dan Sullivan (AK) introduced a companion bill in the Senate
The Revising and Enhancing Project Authorizations Impacted by Review (REPAIR) Act was introduced by Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (WY) in hopes to streamline the permitting process for U.S. energy, manufacturing and infrastructure.
The Act helps to restore permitting reform by standardizing the review process for permits and removing red tape for those seeking permits.
Standardizing the system disincentivizes frivolous lawsuits from radical environmental activists to derail American energy production.