Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) testified before the House Committee on Rules in support of H.J. Res. 104, H.J. Res. 105 and H.J. Res. 106. 

Below are Westerman's full remarks, as prepared: 

"Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. 

The three CRAs we are considering would unwind resource management plans, or RMPs, finalized by the Biden administration’s Bureau of Land Management in the midnight hours of the administration. Collectively, these RMPs locked up 29 million acres of land and mineral estate in Montana, North Dakota, and Alaska – an area that’s roughly the size of the state of Ohio and nearly six times as large as the state of Massachusetts. 

These RMPs are imposed on lands in three Western states, but their effects are being felt nationwide. The RMPs halted leasing, exploration and energy production, which ultimately threatens grid reliability for states across the country that depend on the affordable, dispatchable baseload power generated by the fuel sources produced on these BLM lands. This can be especially concerning during times of high demand and extreme weather. 
    
The three RMPs dictate how incredible swaths of resource-rich public lands are managed at a time when America’s energy future is at a crossroads. With surging needs from AI, data centers, and advanced manufacturing, U.S. peak electricity demand is projected to grow by as much as 128 gigawatts, quintupling earlier forecasts. 

We simply can’t afford to allow short-sighted policies put the brakes on our long-term energy security. We need to unleash every tool in our energy arsenal to meet this moment and power the next generation of American growth. If we can’t harness our energy resources in America and share it with our allies, we’re ceding valuable ground to China, Russia, or any nation hostile to American values. 

That’s why these CRA resolutions matter. They restore balanced, scientific management to our public lands. They remove artificial barriers imposed by the previous administration on American energy and mineral resources. And they recognize that responsible energy development and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive, rather they go hand in hand.    

H. J. Res. 104 targets the Biden administration’s sweeping coal leasing ban across Montana’s entire Powder River Basin—home to nearly 30 percent of the nation’s recoverable coal reserves. For perspective, coal from the Powder River Basin generates enough electricity each year to power over 16 million American homes. That’s enough coal to provide every household in the state of Colorado with reliable, affordable energy – three times over. 

H. J. Res. 105 reverses an RMP that blocked development on 99 percent of North Dakota’s coal and closed off 44 percent of federally owned oil and gas acreage in the state. That’s energy that could heat homes, power factories, and support over 12,000 good-paying jobs—all halted by bureaucratic fiat. It also represents millions in lost revenue that would otherwise flow to the U.S. Treasury to help reduce the national debt and to the state government to support vital public services such as infrastructure development and public education.

H. J. Res. 106 lifts restrictions on 13.3 million acres in Alaska, unlocking development of the Ambler Access Project and the Alaska LNG Pipeline. These projects are not just vital to Alaskans, they’re critical to supporting U.S. energy dominance and our allies abroad. The LNG project alone is expected to produce 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, enough to supply over 10 million homes and support at least 10,000 high-paying jobs. Ambler Road, meanwhile, is crucial for accessing critical mineral deposits necessary for domestic manufacturing, defense, and energy supply chains.

Together, these CRAs build on the energy provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and advance key tenets of several of President Trump’s Executive Orders, such as:

• EO 14261, “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry”; 
• EO 14154, “Unleashing American Energy”; and 
• EO 14153, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.”    

I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives Downing, Fedorchak, and Begich, for their strong leadership in advancing these critical CRAs. Thanks to their work, we are fighting back against unjustified restrictions and standing up for American energy workers, families, and consumers.

I urge the Committee to report an appropriate rule so these resolutions can be considered in the House. Thank you, and I yield back."