Today, the House of Representatives, by a bipartisan vote of 164-261 rejected H.R. 6168, a bill to implement President Obama’s offshore drilling plan that places 85 percent of America’s offshore energy resources under lock-and-key. In a separate bipartisan vote of 253-170, the House approved H.R. 6082, to replace President Obama’s no-new-jobs, no-new-drilling plan with a robust plan that offers 29 lease sales in areas known to contain the most oil and natural gas resources, to create tens of thousands of new American jobs and increase American energy production.

“The House of Representatives has soundly rejected President Obama’s woefully insufficient energy policies. Today’s vote was a clear choice between President Obama’s failed energy policies that outsource American jobs and further our dangerous dependence on foreign oil and a bipartisan energy plan to create American jobs, grow our economy and strengthen America’s energy security,” said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings. “America cannot afford President Obama’s halfhearted policies and empty rhetoric that take us backwards when it comes to our energy future. The bipartisan plan that passed today is what a real vision for America’s energy future should look like—more American jobs, more American energy and less dependence on unfriendly foreign countries. It’s now time for the Senate to take action and vote on the President’s plan.”

Background:

The Obama Administration announced its proposed 2012-2017 offshore lease plan on June 28^th. According to federal law, it’s now undergoing a mandatory 60-day Congressional review. As part of that review, the House of Representatives acted today to make clear that the President’s plan is inacceptable and that it should be replaced with the environmentally responsible plan of H.R. 6082 that truly supports increased American energy and American jobs.

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