PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 19, 2012
American Energy First Act - Prohibits petroleum product from being drawn down, sold, or exchanged from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) unless the President has taken the actions required by this Act.
Instructs the President to direct the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) and the heads of other relevant federal agencies to treat certain Bureau of Land Management final regulations regarding oil shale management as well as the November 17, 2008, U.S. Bureau of Land Management Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments/Record of Decision for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources to Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement as satisfying all legal and procedural requirements under specified laws.
Directs the Secretary to implement the oil shale leasing program authorized in those areas covered by the resource management plans amended by such amendments, and covered by such record of decision, without any other administrative action necessary.
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Instructs the President to direct the Secretary to conduct offshore oil and gas: (1) Lease Sale 216 in the Central Gulf of Mexico within four months after enactment of this Act, (2) Lease Sale 218 in the Western Gulf of Mexico within eight months after enactment of this Act, (3) Lease Sale 222 in the Central Gulf of Mexico not later than June 1, 2012. Deems the Environmental Impact Statement for the 2007-2012 5-Year OCS Plan and the Multi-Sale Environmental Impact Statement to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for the purposes of such lease sales. Instructs the President to direct the Secretary to: (1) approve a certain permit concerning certain energy-related facilities and land transportation crossings on the international boundaries of the United States for the Keystone XL pipeline project, and (2) expedite permitting of activities under oil and gas leases for federal onshore lands and federal submerged lands in the Gulf of Mexico.
Prescribes Keystone XL pipeline permit requirements, including: (1) reconsideration of routing of the Keystone XL pipeline within Nebraska; (2) a review period during which routing within Nebraska may be reconsidered and the route of the Keystone XL pipeline through the state altered with any accompanying modification to a specified Plan; and (3) the obligation of the President to coordinate review with the state of Nebraska, provide necessary data and reasonable technical assistance material to the review process, and approve the route within Nebraska submitted by its governor to the Secretary of State.
Deems approved, within 10 days after its date of submission, the route submitted by the governor of Nebraska pursuant to the permit approved under this Act if the President does not approve that route.
People & committees
Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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