May 8, 2025

The House Natural Resources Committee approved its portion of the congressional budget reconciliation this week, even picking up bipartisan support. We voiced our early support for several major oil and natural gas provisions by submitting a letter to Chairman Bruce Westerman. The package shows the committee has a clear vision for unleashing American energy. We also joined with seven other trade associations in a separate letter to Speaker Mike Johnson.

Alliance Letter to Chairman Westerman

The House package includes several reforms, from reinstating quarterly lease sales to fixing broken permitting processes to addressing many of the structural issues that hindered oil and natural gas development under the previous administration. To highlight a few, the bill would:

• Reinstate quarterly lease sales as required under the Mineral Leasing Act

• Enable commingling of production facilities to reduce surface impacts and lower costs while protecting the environment

• Streamline NEPA reviews with reasonable timelines and relieve the government of the cost and time of the analysis, while still enabling oversight

• Remove duplicative permitting requirements for nonfederal wells touching small amounts of federal minerals

• Rein in excessive litigation and protest tactics that delay projects and reduce federal revenues.

For more detailed analysis, see our letter.

Coalition Letter to Speaker Johnson

Our joint trades letter to Speaker Johnson shows how unified our industry is behind the committee’s effort. Alongside partners representing over 80% of domestic oil and natural gas production, we affirmed our commitment to advancing policies that restore investment in federal lands and strengthen economic and national security.

Coalition partners included the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, Alaska Oil & Gas Association, Gulf Energy Alliance, International Association of Drilling Contractors, Independent Petroleum Association of America, National Ocean Industries Association, and U.S. Oil & Gas Association.

Looking Ahead

We were pleased to see swift action and strong support within the committee, including Democratic Congressman Adam Gray’s (CA-13) vote for the package.

As the budget reconciliation package advances, with the House goal of passing it by Memorial Day, we will continue championing responsible policies that benefit Americans across the country. We commend Chairman Westerman and his colleagues for advancing legislation that reflects the realities and needs of producers in the West.