[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 788 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 788

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Arctic lease 
 sales which are already included in the Draft Proposed Plan must stay 
  in the proposed 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing 
                                Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 15, 2016

Mr. Nunes submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Arctic lease 
 sales which are already included in the Draft Proposed Plan must stay 
  in the proposed 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing 
                                Program.

Whereas the Department of the Interior is currently receiving comments on its 
        proposed 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program 
        (the Proposed Program);
Whereas the House concurs with the Secretary of the Interior that the Proposed 
        Program ``is an important component of the President's comprehensive 
        energy strategy to allow for safe and responsible domestic oil and 
        natural gas production as a means to support economic growth and job 
        creation, and enhance energy security'';
Whereas Congress in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act states that ``the 
        outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the 
        Federal Government for the public, which should be made available for 
        expeditious and orderly development, subject to environmental 
        safeguards, in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of 
        competition and other national needs'';
Whereas the Proposed Program envisions up to ten sales in the Gulf of Mexico and 
        one in each of three areas off of Alaska, two of these in the Arctic;
Whereas including Arctic lease sales in the Proposed Program would provide an 
        option for future Arctic lease sales;
Whereas the U.S. Arctic is estimated to contain at least 34 billion barrels of 
        oil equivalent;
Whereas the potential of our Nation's Arctic resources is vast--and the safe and 
        efficient development of these resources is pivotal not only to local 
        communities on the North Slope, but also to ensure our Nation stays on 
        our path to energy independence and global energy leadership;
Whereas America's Arctic has the resource potential to reverse the steady 
        throughput decline of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (hereinafter in 
        this resolution referred to as ``TAPS''), which is operating at only 25 
        percent of its potential and is continuing to decline;
Whereas the continued decline of North Slope oil and decreasing throughput 
        threatens the viability of TAPS, which, without more oil, will face 
        significant operational challenges and eventually face premature shut 
        down and decommissioning;
Whereas the West Coast of the United States relies heavily on Alaskan oil and 
        with declining production is relying more on imported sources;
Whereas the Energy Information Administration expects the United States oil 
        production to begin falling in the 2020s and continue declining through 
        2040;
Whereas the National Petroleum Council has stated that ``the long lead times 
        necessary to bring on new crude oil production from Alaska would 
        coincide with a long-term expected decline of U.S. Lower 48 
        production'';
Whereas Arctic energy development will allow for critical regional 
        infrastructure including deep water ports, Arctic class vessels, and 
        search and rescue capabilities with collateral benefits for U.S. 
        military operations in the region;
Whereas energy security promotes national security by reducing U.S. dependence 
        on the natural resources of hostile foreign regimes;
Whereas the strategic significance of the Arctic is growing due to expanding 
        geopolitical interests;
Whereas Russia has been investing heavily in the region with a world-leading 40 
        icebreakers, new Arctic bases, airfields, and ports, and ambitious new 
        energy development projects;
Whereas China, calling itself a ``near-Arctic'' state, has been building new 
        icebreakers and encouraging Chinese shipping companies to use Arctic sea 
        routes;
Whereas the Arctic capabilities of the United States have dramatically declined 
        and the United States only has two operational icebreakers;
Whereas the United States Coast Guard has determined that the United States 
        needs at least six new icebreakers for its future Arctic needs;
Whereas excluding Arctic leases from the proposed plan would signal a U.S. 
        withdrawal from the Arctic region at a time when U.S. leadership is 
        needed to protect U.S. interests;
Whereas the November 2013 Department of Defense (DoD) Arctic Strategy states 
        that DoD's desired end-state for the Arctic is ``a secure and stable 
        region where U.S. national interests are safeguarded'';
Whereas the May 2013 ``United States Coast Guard Arctic Strategy'' states that 
        ``The United States is an Arctic nation with significant interests in 
        the future of the region'';
Whereas a study published by the National Petroleum Council in March 2015 found 
        that ``Most of the U.S. Arctic offshore conventional oil & gas potential 
        can be developed using existing field-proven technology'';
Whereas offshore energy development is an important source of revenue into the 
        Federal treasury, generating a record $18 billion in FY2008, of which 
        $2.7 billion was from offshore leasing in Alaska alone;
Whereas the national, the DoD, and Coast Guard strategies for the Arctic depend 
        on government and private sector cooperation, including private 
        investments in Arctic infrastructure to leverage resources and 
        expertise; and
Whereas the overwhelming majority of Alaskans, including Alaska Native 
        communities within the Arctic, support future Arctic resource 
        development: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms that America's strategic options should not 
        be constricted by exclusion of future Arctic economic 
        opportunities; and
            (2) strongly supports keeping Arctic lease sales as part of 
        the new Proposed Program.
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