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H.R.4294 / 116th Congress

American Energy First Act

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 11, 2019

American Energy First Act

This bill addresses offshore and onshore oil and gas resources, and the use of renewable energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and other federal lands.

Among other things, the bill

allows states with an established permitting and regulatory program to manage certain federal permitting and regulatory responsibilities for oil and gas development on federal lands within their borders;

limits the President's authority to prohibit oil and gas leasing on the OCS;

establishes a revenue sharing framework to distribute revenues collected from oil and gas leasing on the OCS to certain states (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alaska);

provides a mechanism for states to receive their entitled percentage of sales, bonuses, royalties, and rentals for all public land or deposits located in the state;

requires the Department of the Interior to establish certain federal land as geothermal and wind energy leasing priority areas; and

limits the authority of Interior to declare a moratorium on the leasing of federal lands for oil and gas activities unless such moratorium is authorized by Congress.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Scalise, Steve [R-LA-1] · R–LA

Committees

  • Natural Resources Committee
12 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

  2. Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

  3. Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

  4. Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

  5. Introduced in House

  6. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Jan 3, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4294 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

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