House Passes Bill to Protect Fracking from Future Presidential Bans
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the “Protecting American Energy Production Act” in a 226-188 vote, aiming to prevent future presidents from banning oil and gas drilling without explicit Congressional approval.
The legislation specifically prohibits the president from imposing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) unless Congress authorizes such action. The bill was introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who cited concerns over potential fracking bans during the Biden administration.
This move comes in response to former President Joe Biden’s ban on drilling across 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters, enacted just before he left office. Pfluger criticized these energy policies, arguing they harmed American energy production and threatened domestic energy independence. He stated that the new legislation, if enacted, would safeguard fracking from similar restrictions in the future.
In addition to the bill’s passage, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has launched internal reviews of the Biden administration’s energy policies, signaling an effort to reduce federal restrictions on energy development and expand domestic production.