Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) sent a letter to Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland, raising concerns over her failure to appear before the Natural Resources Committee in 2022 and DOI’s extreme regulatory actions, which may have exceeded its authority in light of recent Supreme Court rulings. In part, Westerman wrote:

"While Committee Democrats initially signaled that you would testify at a committee hearing on September 29, 2022, they have now postponed this hearing. Throughout the 117th Congress, committee Republicans have been committed to robust oversight of your Department, and I plan to continue vigorously fulfilling my oversight duties in the 118th Congress. 

"I write to bring to your attention West Virginia v. EPA, a recent Supreme Court decision that clarified the limitations of certain agency action. Although Article I, Section 1 of the United States Constitution vests 'all legislative powers' in Congress,  the Biden administration has largely relied on executive action to advance its radical agenda...

"Numerous actions taken by the Department of the Interior during the Biden administration raise significant concerns about the Department exceeding its authority or circumventing regular rulemaking processes. For example, DOI’s refusal to comply with statutorily mandated lease sales ignores the congressional intent of both the Mineral Leasing Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Utilizing Executive Order 14008 and Secretarial Order 3395, DOI executed a moratorium on oil and gas leasing. As our nation faces an energy crisis, the economic and political consequences of halting leasing and permitting are clear. If the Biden administration had issued new leases in 2021, new production could be happening today...

"As a member of the committee of jurisdiction overseeing DOI, I assure you I will exercise our robust investigative and legislative powers to not only forcefully reassert our Article I responsibilities, but to ensure the Biden administration does not continue to exceed congressional authorizations."

Read the full letter here.