Today, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), joined by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Vicente González (D-TX), introduced legislation to promote domestic energy development on both America’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and its vast onshore federal acreage. H.R. 4239, the “Strengthening the Economy with Critical Untapped Resources to Expand American Energy Act” or “SECURE American Energy Act,” will spur economic investment in federal lands, diversify and expand domestic energy production, create jobs, and increase revenues to federal and state governments.

Provisions in H.R. 4239 provide regulatory certainty and reliability, expand access to both conventional and renewable resources, establish revenue sharing with states, and streamline energy permitting processes to make federal lands and waters a competitive and attractive place for responsible development.

“The SECURE American Energy Act incentivizes offshore energy production by establishing revenue-sharing agreements for Alaska and qualified Atlantic states, and raises existing revenue-sharing caps so that Louisiana and other states can receive hundreds of millions in additional dollars to restore our coast. I am proud to introduce this important legislation with my colleagues Congressman Rob Bishop of Utah, Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas, and Congressman Vincente Gonzalez of Texas,” Scalise said. “The SECURE American Energy Act opens up more areas for responsible energy exploration, creating good jobs in communities all across our country. Our bill empowers states and optimizes onshore resource management by delegating certain permitting functions to state regulatory agencies instead of Washington. I’m proud to introduce this important bipartisan bill with my colleagues, and I look forward to passing it through the House and getting it on President Trump’s desk so he can sign it into law and we can create more jobs.”

“The SECURE American Energy Act harnesses responsible development on America’s federal lands to create long term energy strength and stability. Through cooperative federalism and commonsense regulatory practices we can fundamentally improve the way our federal lands and waters are managed for oil, gas and wind development. I thank Whip Scalise for his leadership and members on both sides of the aisle for their work and contributions to this bipartisan bill, and look forward to swiftly moving it through Committee and the House,” Bishop said.

“The United States is a world leader in both the production and development of conventional and renewable resources,” Cuellar said. “The SECURE American Energy Act will further invest in the future of our nation’s energy landscape by making sure federal lands are also available for responsible energy development. In doing so, it will create good jobs for American families and increase revenues for local, state and federal governments. I thank Majority Whip Scalise, Chairman Bishop and Congressman Gonzalez for working on this bipartisan bill to promote economic and labor growth through responsible energy development.”

“As a South Texan, I have seen first-hand how oil and natural gas production can revitalize local economies, create jobs and move the U.S. toward energy independence. This legislation proposes important reforms that will allow the rest of our country to unlock vast economic development and energy capital that will support our nation for years to come,” González said.