This page contains bill sponsorships in the Senate and House. Bill sponsorships indicate the topics that legislators are most interested in, and spend the most time on.

13-H2511 on Jun 26, 2013

Proponent's argument for bill: (The Heritage Foundation): This important piece of legislation would allow state control of energy resources on federal lands. America has harnessed technological advances in recent years in drilling and extracting energy resources that have caused a surge in domestic oil and gas in several areas of the country. Most of that production has occurred on private and state-owned lands, not federal lands where output has been on decline. The benefits of transferring power to the states over their own energy decisions: States have an interest in both boosting their economies by tapping into the energy resources available to them and protecting the environment. More importantly, they are best suited to fulfill these two goals, not the federal government.

Opponent's argument against bill:(The Wilderness Society): Oil and gas development can do serious damage to wildlands and waters, especially when it takes place in sensitive areas. The federal government began leasing public lands for energy development in 1920. We see energy development as a valid use of some public lands, but there are some wild places that must be protected. We work to ensure that the most stringent environmental precautions are applied when oil and gas development occurs on our public lands and that development does not happen in fragile wild areas. The Wilderness Society also makes sure that our most ecologically sensitive areas, such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, remain permanently off limits to oil and gas companies.

Also see the related Senate bill S.1233

Participating counts on VoteMatch question 18. Question 18: Prioritize green energy Scores: -2=Strongly oppose; -1=Oppose; 0=neutral; 1=Support; 2=Strongly support.
• Topic: Energy & Oil
• Headline: Sponsored letting states lease energy rights on federal lands (Score: -2)
• Headline 2: Let states lease energy rights on federal lands (Score: -2)
  
  Participating counts on AmericansElect question 2.
• Headline: Sponsored letting states lease energy rights on federal lands (Answer: D)
• Headline 2: Let states lease energy rights on federal lands (Answer: D)
• AmericansElect Quiz Question 2 on Energy: When you think about America’s energy needs, which of the following solutions comes closest to your opinion?
  • A: Strong investment in renewable energy like wind and solar
  • B: More drilling than investment in renewables (mix of both solutions)
  • C: More investment in renewable than drilling (mix of both solutions)
  • D: Strong focus on offshore drilling and allowing drilling in federal lands including wildlife reserves
  • E: Unsure
  
  
  
• Key for participation codes:
• Sponsorships: p=sponsored; o=co-sponsored; s=signed
• Memberships: c=chair; m=member; e=endorsed; f=profiled; s=scored
• Resolutions: i=introduced; w=wrote; a=adopted
• Cases: w=wrote; j=joined; d=dissented; c=concurred
• Surveys: '+' supports; '-' opposes.