[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 202 (Wednesday, December 3, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8460-S8463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
S.J. Res. 91 and H.J. Res. 131
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I have come to the floor this morning
as we begin debate on two identical disapproval resolutions. This is
S.J. Res. 91--I filed it with Senator Sullivan--and then H.J. Res. 131,
which is a companion measure filed by our delegation colleague
Representative Begich. These resolutions would nullify the Biden
administration's Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This was
unilaterally rewritten and finalized over our objections back in
November of 2024.
We are going to have an opportunity to vote later on a motion to
proceed to my Senate resolution. Then, if that succeeds, our final vote
tomorrow will be on the House resolution because it can then go
directly to the President's desk.
Those of us in the Alaska delegation filed these resolutions because
we are again seeking to overturn the Biden administration's effort to
effectively shut down resource production across Alaska. We opposed
their Central Yukon Resource Management Plan, their integrated activity
plan for our National Petroleum Reserve, and their decision to shut
down any potential development on a very small part of the Coastal
Plain.
So for those who have not followed this, the Coastal Plain is a 1.56
million-acre tract of land. This is on the eastern part of Alaska's
North Slope. So if you look at the overlay here of Alaska, across the
lower 48 States, the ANWR region is up here in the upper eastern
corner. The refuge itself is about 19 million acres. This is
approximately the size of South Carolina. The nonwilderness area--this
is the 1002 area--is 1.5 million acres, which is approximately the size
of Delaware. Again, you see this in that section of the map there.
The Coastal Plain is part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but
in designating that as a refuge, Congress specifically reserved this
area up at the top, on the slope there, for energy exploration and
potential future development. Congress did this through what was known
as section 1002 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
We call it ANILCA. So when we refer to the 1002 area, it is this
Coastal Plain here within the ANWR region.
Section 1002 of ANILCA starts with a purpose that explicitly
authorizes ``exploratory activity within the coastal plain in a manner
that avoids significant adverse effects on the fish and wildlife and
other resources.''
So I think it is important that people understand this purpose, this
distinction. The 1002 area--this area here, the purple area--is not
Federal wilderness. By law--by law--it is a Federal set-aside. This
area here is wilderness. This is the refuge area. The 1002 area, again,
was specifically set aside to authorize exploratory activity.
Then Congress left the decision on development to be determined
later. It was years--it was decades, actually--it was in 2017 that we
in Congress agreed as to what should be allowed. I was chairman of the
Energy and Natural Resources Committee at the time, and we added a
title II to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It drew bipartisan support, but
we effectively put an end to a 40-year battle. We opened up a small
fraction of the Coastal Plain to responsible development. And under the
terms of that act, we required at least two area-wide lease sales over
the course of 7 years.
But we provided balance to all that. It wasn't just ``open the whole
thing for exploration.'' We limited surface development to just 2,000
acres.
So, keep in mind, in this area that is the size of Delaware, we
limited surface development to 2,000 acres, which is one one-hundredth
of 1 percent--one one-hundredth of 1 percent--or one ten-thousandth of
all of ANWR. That is what we included within that measure in that 2017
act.
We did not shortcut or truncate the environmental review process. The
Department of the Interior effectively spent 3 years designing a sound,
environmentally protective program, and the result, then, was a record
of decision in August 2020 that would have allowed us to safely develop
the area's anticipated resources while fully protecting the fish, the
wildlife, and the subsistence uses.
We have talked a lot on this floor and in other areas about the
resources that we project to be in the ANWR area--prolific resources--
an estimated 7.7 billion barrels of oil, which would be enough to add a
half million barrels a day to our Trans-Alaska Pipeline System for
perhaps the next 40 years and help to fill up our pipeline.
I am one who has been engaged in this battle for decades, and I
absolutely understand the concern about whether or not limited
development makes sense in the area. And like so much of Alaska, the
Coastal Plain is a special place. None of us wants to see it harmed,
and that is why we went to such extraordinary lengths to ensure that
energy development and environmental protection could coexist. We
didn't trade one for the other. We didn't put energy above the
environment.
We had a lot of confidence in the program that was finalized in 2020,
but, unfortunately, we never got the chance to, once again, demonstrate
how Alaska leads the world when it comes to balanced, environmentally
responsible development.
We held our first lease sale in early 2021, but after that,
everything seems to have just kind of gone in reverse, because on his
first day in office, President Biden suspended the Coastal Plain
Program. His Department of the Interior paused all leasing and
development activities before arbitrarily canceling every lease in the
area.
And the Biden administration didn't stop there, either. They next
decided to rewrite the Coastal Plain Program to make leasing
unattractive and development impossible. And they claimed deficiencies
in the original process, between 2017 and 2020, that they had to
somehow go back and remedy, but they never really cited anything
specific. Now, keep in mind, the Biden administration in their
political agenda did not include energy from Alaska. So they were
trying to move forward and address what they said were flaws, but their
process was also fatally flawed.
For starters, the Biden administration failed to meaningfully consult
with the people who actually live on the North Slope, including those
who live in Kaktovik, which is the only community within ANWR's
boundaries. When I say ``failed,'' I mean they refused--they flatout
refused. I added report language to my Interior appropriations bill
directing them to do the consultation, and still they refused.
The Biden administration issued a record of decision for a new
Coastal Plain Program in November of 2024. And if you spend time
looking at it, you will understand why we are here, because it clearly
and repeatedly contradicts Federal law, because the Tax Cut and Jobs
Act opened the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain to potential
development, subject to the 2,000-acre surface limit.
We were very clear in what that law was. The Biden administration
took that, flipped it on its head, and finalized the program that
allowed leasing on just 400,000 acres--so, gone, immediately. Gone was
potential leasing on 74 percent of the 1002 area. And the 400,000 acres
that was left available, which is--I question the availability there--
but it amounted to less than was bid on at the 2021 lease sale. And
even there, 231,700 acres were subject to no surface occupancy, another
84,300 were subject to controlled surface use, and 3,100 acres were
subject to timing limitation. So only about 5 percent--only about 5
percent--of the overall Coastal Plain was subject to standard
[[Page S8461]]
lease terms and conditions under the Biden plan. So think about that--
just 5 percent now.
The Biden administration also restricted seismic surveying--the best
way to understand the Coastal Plains resources. They restricted the
surveying of the lands that were now theoretically available for
leasing. They even reinterpreted the 2,000-acre limit to not be a
``saleable feature'' of leases. We had discussed this with the
Parliamentarians during the budget reconciliation back in 2017, but it
was a matter of secretarial discretion to allow development of anywhere
between 0 and 2,000 acres. So, again, they flipped that on their head.
So it wouldn't surprise you to learn that the 2024 program
contemplates development on a maximum of 995 surface acres. Again, what
we had statutorily prescribed--what the law says--was 2,000 acres.
Finally, the Biden administration expanded and created new lease
stipulations and required operating procedures to further dissuade
leasing interests and clamp down on any potential for development. The
goal wasn't hard to understand. It is evident in the 2024 record of
decision.
Interior acknowledged that, under their preferred alternative, future
oil production from the Coastal Plain would decline nearly 80 percent.
They knew it. That was the plan. I think they were probably trying to
shoot for closer to 100 percent.
Under the 2024 plan, there would be no leasing, as we clearly saw in
a lease sale that was designed to fail and then did fail late last
year. There would be no development on the Coastal Plain, regardless of
congressional action, support from Alaskans who live on the North Slope
and within the Coastal Plain, or our national need for responsibly
produced energy.
Bear in mind, this is all taking place right as the Biden
administration was relaxing sanctions on countries like Iran, like
Venezuela, allowing them to produce more and financially benefit from
the development. And it also happened right as California, which is a
traditional market for Alaska's oil, was importing more oil from the
Middle East, which is a long way from California, but also from other
countries in South America, actively deforesting the Amazon rain
forests. So if you want to talk about a massive geopolitical and
environmental failure, that was it--that was it--happening under that
administration.
Less oil from Alaska means a Trans-Alaska Pipeline System that is
running mostly empty. It means a west coast that increasingly turns to
imports instead of domestic energy, regardless of the terror that that
breeds or the devastation that it causes.
It also means fewer jobs for hard-working Alaskans, less opportunity
in our communities for the folks who support and benefit from energy
development, less revenue for the State of Alaska, and, in turn, less
infrastructure and services. To me, that just makes no sense.
The people of the North Slope, the Alaska delegation, and the State
of Alaska were ignored as the Biden administration put its 2024 program
into place. From the start, this was a fait accompli. There was no
question in my mind what they planned to do, and there was nothing
unfortunately that we were able to do to change their minds.
It really didn't matter what Alaskans wanted. It didn't matter what
the law required. It didn't matter that they wound up in court and
lost--and lost badly--as they did when a Federal judge ruled that their
cancellation of the Coastal Plain leases was blatantly illegal.
All of that was their choice, and this is ours. This is our choice--
to disapprove and permanently nullify their actions so that they never
come back in substantially similar form. So if you care about the rule
of law, if you care about our domestic energy security or the
consequences of sending our dollars abroad for energy that we have here
at home, then I would ask you to join us in supporting this resolution.
I think if you acknowledge that no one cares more about Alaska than
Alaskans, you should be with the full Alaskan delegation on this. We
can restore the rule of law. We can require Federal Agencies to follow
congressional direction. We can return to balanced management on the
Coastal Plain, while still protecting 99.99 percent of ANWR's surface
acreage. I think the choice is pretty clear.
I would urge colleagues to support the motion to proceed later and
the underlying resolution when we vote on it tomorrow.
Mr. President, I would ask, as I wrap here, that unanimous consent be
provided for letters of support from those who live on the North Slope,
as well as letters from the Resource Development Council and the NFIB,
to be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
November 19, 2025.
Re Support for S.J. Res. 91 and H.J. Res 131--Congressional
Review Act Disapproval of the ``2024 BLM Coastal Plain
Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision''
Hon. Lisa Murkowski,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. Dan Sullivan,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. Nicholas Begich III,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Senators Murkowski, Sullivan, and Representative
Begich: On behalf of the North Slope Inupiat leadership--
including Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope (ICAS)), the
North Slope Borough (Borough), and Arctic Slope Regional
Corporation (ASRC), we write in strong support of
Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions introduced being
introduced by the Alaska Congressional Delegation, providing
for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5,
United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of
Land Management relating to the ``2024 Coastal Plain Oil and
Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision.''
Background
The North Slope Inupiat have called the Arctic home for
over 10,000 years. We are proud of our self-determination
efforts to ensure future generations of Inupiat continue to
reside in our communities and have access to essential
services. Without a stable economy, our communities will
suffer, along with our ability to fully engage in and sustain
our Inupiaq cultural traditions, including our vital
subsistence way of life.
The North Slope of Alaska spans an area nearly the size of
the state of Minnesota and, within that expansive area, there
are eight Inupiaq communities--Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk,
Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Hope, Point Lay, Utqiagvik, and
Wainwright. None of our communities are connected by a
permanent road system; all supplies must be flown or barged
in, making the cost of living extremely high and economic
opportunities generally low.
Over fifty years ago, the Federal Government directed
Alaska Native people to organize into a new structure of
indigenous representation. The Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA) was a dramatically different
and transformative approach by the Federal Government to
federal Indian policy. The fact that our ancestral lands were
claimed by the Federal Government before our people had a
right to settle aboriginal land claims should inform every
decision the Federal Government makes in managing those
lands.
Unlike the Lower 48 model of indigenous representation
where tribal governments typically administer the delivery of
services such as healthcare, public safety, education, land
management, and economic development, the passage of ANCSA
created a shared system of Alaska Native representation and
delivery of services. Our region has a multitude of Alaska
Native entities that work together to effectively serve,
provide for, and enrich the lives of the North Slope Inupiat
we represent. Our three regional entities, the ICAS, the
Borough, and ASRC are three of those entities. While our
roles differ, our constituencies overlap, which is why we
work closely together to protect the cultural and economic
interests of the North Slope Inupiat.
While our leaders over fifty years ago were initially wary
of any development on our lands, our Inupiaq leaders have
spent decades prioritizing open communication and
transparency in planning with industry. We have exercised
true self-determination through a unique framework of Alaska
Native governance--a framework that relies on our tribal
governments, municipal governments, and Alaska Native
corporations established by Congress to serve our indigenous
constituents. For millennia, Inupiaq ingenuity has
transformed our relationship with industry into a partnership
that has both protected our environment and our way of life
and has brought significant economic benefits to the region
that would have otherwise been absent. Our North Slope
residents are keenly aware that advances in our communities--
running water, local schools, health care, public safety,
electricity, and more--have come because of the coordination
and cooperation of Alaska Native leaders and entities across
the region.
ICAS
Established in 1971, the Inupiat Community of the Arctic
Slope is the federally recognized regional tribal government
for the North Slope and represents over 14,000 Inupiaq tribal
members. The mission of ICAS is to exercise its sovereign
rights and powers
[[Page S8462]]
for the benefit of tribal members, to conserve and retain
tribal lands and resources including subsistence.
Borough
The Borough is a home rule government located above the
Arctic Circle that represents roughly 10,000 residents. The
Borough's jurisdiction includes the entire National Petroleum
Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) and the eight villages within it. In
1972, the North Slope Inupiat formed the Borough, in part, to
ensure our communities would benefit from oil and
gas development on their ancestral homelands. It was the
first time Alaska Natives took control of their destiny
using a regional municipal government. The Borough
exercises its powers of taxation, property assessment,
education, and planning and zoning services to serve our
communities. Taxes levied on oil and gas infrastructure,
not development, have enabled the Borough to invest in
public infrastructure and utilities, support education,
and provide police, fire, emergency, health, and other
services. Elsewhere in rural Alaska, these services are
typically provided primarily by the State or Federal
Government, or both.
ASRC
ASRC is a for-profit, land-owning Alaska Native regional
corporation formed pursuant to ANCSA. ASRC represents the
same region as the Borough and ICAS, and the same eight
villages whose residents are predominantly Inupiat, and who
comprise many of our over 14,000 Alaska Native shareholders.
ASRC holds the title to approximately five million acres of
land on the North Slope, including both surface and
subsurface lands. These lands--the ancestral lands of the
North Slope Inupiat--were conveyed to ASRC by the United
States pursuant to ANCSA to provide for the economic and
cultural well-being of our Inupiat shareholders.
ASRC is committed to both providing sound financial returns
to our sharehoLders, through jobs and dividends, and to
preserving our Inupiat way of life, culture, and traditions,
including the ability to maintain a subsistence lifestyle
that supports our communities. In furtherance of this
congressionally mandated mission to provide benefits to our
shareholders, ASRC conducts and continues to invest in a
variety of activities related to infrastructure and natural
resource development and other economic initiatives.
ASRC's perspective is based on the dual realities that our
Inupiat culture and communities depend on a healthy ecosystem
and subsistence resources, as well as infrastructure and
resource development as the foundation of sustainable North
Slope communities.
North Slope Trilateral Disapproval of the 2024 Coastal Plain ROD
It is important to emphasize that our trilateral
organizations did not support the 2024 Coastal Plain Oil and
Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision. The primary reason
for our opposition was the lack of meaningful consultation
with the Inupiat people, our tribal government, and regional
institutions. The previous administration failed to engage in
meaningful government-to-government consultation with ICAS,
the Borough, or ASFRC, despite the fact that North Slope
communities are the most directly impacted by decisions in
the Coastal Plain.
This failure disregarded the sovereign rights of ICAS, the
municipal authority of the Borough, and the land and
shareholder interests of ASRC. Federal law requires that
agencies conduct meaningful consultation with tribal
governments and Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) before
issuing decisions that affect our communities. That did not
occur in this case. Instead, the process sidelined the voices
of our people, creating a decision that was neither
legitimate nor consistent with the principles of self-
determination.
For the Inupiat, consultation is not a procedural box to
check, it is a legal obligation that recognizes our
relationship to the land and our right to be heard. By
ignoring this responsibility, the Coastal Plain ROD failed to
account for the subsistence needs, cultural values, and
economic stability of North Slope communities. This is why
our organizations could not support the ROD, and why we now
stand behind its disapproval through the CRA process.
Support for S.J. Res. 91 and H.J. Res. 131
For these reasons, our trilateral organizations strongly
support passage of the CRA which disapproves of the rule
submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to
``Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of
Decision (issued December 9, 2024). Overturning this rule is
necessary to restore balance to federal policy, reaffirm
Congress's intent for responsible development in Alaska, and
uphold the economic, cultural, and subsistence well-being of
the North Slope Inupiat.
Our identity, resilience, and survival are deeply rooted in
our traditional lands, which encompass both the Coastal Plain
and the NPR-A. We take great pride in our ongoing efforts
toward self-determination, focused on securing a future where
future generations of Inupiat can continue to live in our
communities with access to the essential services they need
to thrive. We thank you for your leadership on this important
resolution and look forward to continued collaboration to
ensure that federal policies reflect both national priorities
and the needs of the people who call the Arctic home.
Sincerely,
Nicole Wojciechowski,
President, Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope.
Josiah Patkotak,
Mayor, North Slope Borough.
Rex A. Rock Sr.,
President and CEO, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.
____
VOICE,
November 18, 2025.
Hon. Lisa Murkowski,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. Dan Sullivan,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. Nick Begich,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and
Representative Begich: Voice of the Arctic Inupiat (VOICE)
writes today in support of Senate Joint Resolution 91 and
House Joint Resolution 131, the congressional disapprovals of
the Bureau of Land Management's 2024 Record of Decision (ROD)
for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). In 2017, VOICE's
Board of Directors unanimously passed Resolution 2017-04 in
support of the opening of the 1002 Area, also known as the
Coastal Plain, of ANWR to oil and gas exploration and
development.
VOICE is a nonprofit established in 2015 by the region's
collective Inupiaq leadership to speak with a unified voice
on issues impacting the North Slope Inupiat, and to preserve
and advance North Slope Inupiaq cultural and economic self-
determination. Our 21 member organizations collaborate to
ensure that our collective voice is heard and respected--
locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. VOICE's
Board Members are elected leaders representing local
governments, federally recognized tribes, tribal service
providers, and Alaska Native Corporations from across the
North Slope.
Our Board of Directors unanimously supports the
Kaktovikmiut, the residents of Kaktovik, and their right to
self-determination. Since the passage of the Alaska National
Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980, which was
crafted, passed, and signed without consulting the North
Slope Inupiat, the Kaktovikmiut have been fighting for their
right to explore and develop their homelands located in the
Coastal Plain of ANWR, which they have occupied and which
have sustained them for thousands of years. VOICE is proud to
support policies that reflect their voices, including this
effort to nullify the 2024 ROD.
Thank you for your efforts to ensure that the people most
affected are included and heard in the policymaking
processes.
Quyanaqpak,
Nagruk Harcharek,
President.
____
Resource Development Council,
Anchorage, AK, December 2, 2025.
Re Support for S.J. Res. 91 and H.J. Res. 131
Hon. Senator Lisa Murkowski,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Senator Dan Sullivan,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Congressman Nick Begich,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and Congressman
Begich: The Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc.
(RDC) writes to express strong support for S.J. Res. 91 and
H.J. Res. 131, which would disapprove the Bureau of Land
Management's (BLM) 2024 Coastal Plain Oil & Gas Leasing
Program Record of Decision (ROD). These resolutions are
essential to upholding federal law, restoring congressional
intent, and reaffirming Alaska's right to responsible
development in the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR).
RDC is a statewide, non-profit trade association founded in
1975. Our membership is comprised of individuals and
companies from Alaska's fishing, tourism, forestry, mining,
and oil and gas industries and includes Alaska Native
corporations, local communities, organized labor, and
industry support firms. RDC's purpose is to encourage a
strong, diversified private sector in Alaska and expand the
state's economic base through the responsible development of
our natural resources.
Congress Intended the 1002 Area for Responsible Development
In 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (ANILCA) expanded ANWR, but in a compromise set aside 1.5
million acres of the coastal plain for study and potential
development. When Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
of 2017, it reaffirmed that intent by directing BLM to
conduct two area-wide lease sales by 2024. Congress also
limited development to no more than 2,000 surface acres, a
footprint representing roughly 1/l0,000th of refuge lands.
The Biden administration's subsequent actions including
suspending and cancelling valid leases and issuing a 2024 ROD
that closes 76 percent of the Coastal Plain to leasing,
directly contradicted this mandate. In March 2025, a federal
court ruled these actions unlawful, and the Government
Accountability Office confirmed that the 2024 plan is subject
to the Congressional Review Act. S.J. Res. 91 and H.J. Res.
131 are necessary to correct this overreach and restore
[[Page S8463]]
a lawful, workable program. Restoring the 2020 program is
aligned with H.R. 1 and the FY 2025 reconciliation bill,
which require four lease sales over the next decade under the
terms of the 2020 ROD.
Alaska's Record of Safe, Low-Impact Arctic Development is Proven
Alaska has demonstrated for decades that responsible
development on the North Slope can coexist with environmental
protection, subsistence resources, and wildlife. Since the
1970s, the surface footprint of oil development has decreased
by more than 80 percent due to technological advancements,
while drilling reach has increased dramatically. In fact,
over the past 40 years of North Slope oil production, many
wildlife populations, including caribou, have grown or
remained stable. The 2020 Coastal Plain ROD incorporated
extensive safeguards, including targeted protections for
sensitive habitats and important subsistence areas. It also
reflected strong support from North Slope residents,
including the community of Kaktovik--the only village within
the refuge.
Energy Production in the Coastal Plain Strengthens Alaska and the
Nation
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the Coastal Plain
holds 7.7 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil,
enough to support roughly one million barrels per day for
more than 20 years. This resource is vital to maintaining
throughput in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS),
creating jobs across Alaska and the nation, generating
billions in revenues to fund essential services and state and
federal governments, and strengthening U.S. energy security.
Why Congressional Action is Needed
Passage of S.J. Res. 91 and H.J. Res. 131 is essential
because these resolutions nullify an unlawful and overly
restrictive federal action and reinstate a leasing program
that aligns with clear congressional direction. They help
ensure that future administrations cannot disregard statutory
requirements, while respecting Alaska Native input and local
priorities. Restoring a lawful program also provides much-
needed certainty for industry, communities, and the state's
economy.
For 50 years, RDC has supported responsible North Slope
development as a cornerstone of Alaska's economy and an
essential component of America's energy security. S.J. Res.
91 and H.J. Res. 131 uphold the law, defend Alaska's
interests, and restore a balanced and environmentally
responsible path forward for the 1002 Area.
Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to
Alaska's future. RDC strongly supports passage of these
resolutions.
Sincerely,
Connor Hajdukovich,
Interim Executive Director.
____
NFIB,
Washington, DC, November 17, 2025.
Hon. Lisa Murkowski,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Murkowski: On behalf of the National
Federation of Independent Business, I write in support of
S.J. Res. 91, which would repeal the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM)'s 2024 Coastal Plain Oil & Gas Leasing
Program Record of Decision (ROD) that restricted oil and gas
leasing on over 1.15 million acres of land in northeast
Alaska. This land was specifically set aside by Congress in
the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act for
oil and gas leasing. Unlocking the 7.7 billion barrels
ofdiscoverable oil in this region by repealing this rule is
an important step to lowering energy costs for small business
owners across the whole country.
NFIB represents approximately 300,000 small and independent
businesses across the United States, including more than
1,000 in the state of Alaska. In NFIB's most recent Problems
and Priorities survey, small businesses ranked the cost of
natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil as their
6th most pressing issue. Job creators depend on affordable,
reliable, American energy so they can own, operate, and grow
their small businesses.
In the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress directed at
least two lease sales in the ``1002 Area'' by 2024. Nine
tracts were leased out in 2021, but these contracts were
promptly frozen on the first day on the Biden administration
and cancelled shortly thereafter. To make matters worse, in
December 2024, BLM issued a final ROD that permanently closed
76% of the area to further energy development. Thankfully,
Congress' 2025 tax package rebuked this plan, and mandated
four lease sales in the next decade. Passing S.J. Res. 91
will help achieve this target.
In a recent NFIB member ballot, 88% of NFIB members
supported Congress streamlining regulations on the production
and transportation of energy sources. Repealing the 2024 ROD
would do just that, allowing for the production of more
American energy on land owned by the taxpayer.
NFIB supports repealing this burdensome rule and other
rules that increase production costs and make energy less
affordable and reliable for small businesses. We look forward
to working with you to advance this bill and help ensure
continued American energy dominance.
Sincerely,
Louis A. Bertolotti,
Principal, Federal Government Relations.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. I yield the floor.