Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 15, 2025

Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban Act

This bill nullifies two presidential memoranda that were published on January 6, 2025, including (1) the Memorandum on the Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing, relating to the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); and (2) the Memorandum on the Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing, relating to the Bering Sea areas of the OCS. The memoranda prohibited the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from issuing offshore leases for the exploration, development, or production (i.e., offshore drilling) of oil or natural gas in those areas.

This bill reverses the withdrawal to allow BOEM to issue leases in those areas.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · R–TX

Committees

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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

Jan 15, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Jan 15, 2025
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Introduced in Senate · Jan 15, 2025 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.104 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.104, 119th Congress: Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/104

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2025-01-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/s104/BILLS-119s104is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:09:59Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.104 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.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.104 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.104, 119th Congress: Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/104

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2025-01-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/s104/BILLS-119s104is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:09:59Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.104 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.104 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.104, 119th Congress: Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/104

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2025-01-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/s104/BILLS-119s104is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:09:59Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.104 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.104 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.104, 119th Congress: Overturn Biden’s Offshore Energy Ban Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/104

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2025-01-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/s104/BILLS-119s104is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:09:59Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.104 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.