Rosendale bill would force Biden to resume oil and gas leases, as GOP unleashes flood of energy legislation

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., is introducing a bill Wednesday that would force President Biden to roll back his moratorium on oil and gas leasing on federal lands, targeting one of the president's day-one policies. 

The "Restore Onshore Energy Production Act" would also ban the president from pausing oil and gas leases via executive order, as Biden did on his first day in office. And it comes on the same day as a deluge of other GOP-backed energy legislation. 

Rosendale introduced the bill with 18 co-sponsors, including Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, Lauren Boebert and more. It would require the Interior secretary to "immediately" resume leases. 

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The bill would further mandate the government to approve at least four oil and gas leases per year in each of seven energy-producing states. That requirement could also expand to other states where federal land becomes available for oil and gas leases. 

"The Biden administration imposed an illegal moratorium on federal onshore and offshore lease sales, damaging our nation’s traditional energy production and energy independence when we need it most," Rosendale said in a statement on the bill. 

"My bill would prohibit the President from pausing, canceling, or delaying the onshore federal leasing process that provides millions of Americans with affordable fuel and powers the economies of many rural states like Montana," he added. "The Biden administration must end its war on traditional energy production, pursue an all-of-the above energy strategy, and resolve the energy crisis facing our nation." 

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Rosendale's bill is just one of a wave of energy-related bills being introduced by House Republicans Wednesday. 

Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Ala., is introducing "The Unleashing American Energy Act." Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, is introducing "The Promoting Energy Independence and Transparency Act." Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., is introducing a bill on permitting, Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, is introducing a bill on offshore energy, and Rep. Garrett Graves, R-La., is introducing a bill on energy resiliency. 

Rosendale is a co-sponsor on all five of those bills. They come as political momentum grows for increased domestic energy production and U.S. energy exports as Russia's war on Ukraine continues. 

The invasion, which was roundly condemned by Western leaders and NATO allies, prompted massive sanctions against Russia's economy. Biden also banned U.S. imports of Russian energy after being pressured into the decision by Congress. 

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But the war exposed Europe's reliance on Russian energy, and the geopolitical role fossil fuels are likely to play going forward. 

As energy prices increased following the start of Russia's war on Ukraine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently was pressed on the energy leasing issue addressed in Rosendale's bill. She pointed to thousands of unused oil and gas leases on federal lands, and asked why those are sitting unused if there is actually a desire for increased domestic energy production. 

Energy industry experts at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference earlier this month told Fox News Digital that Psaki's comment represented a misunderstanding of how the energy market works. 

"That accusation is a complete red herring," American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC) CEO Anne Bradbury told FOX Business. "It's really a distraction from the fact that this administration has paused leasing on federal lands, something that we're concerned about and something that we think needs to continue right away." 

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Many times leases turn out not to be viable after they're explored, energy experts also said. And Energy Workforce and Technology Council CEO Leslie Beyer added that the signals the White House are sending can have as much of an impact on energy investment as actual policy. 

"We need to stop the rhetoric that's anti-fossil fuel and we need some clarity just in the regulatory sense that this administration is behind domestic energy production," Beyer said.