MONTANA – U.S. Sen. Steve Daines said he is putting a bill forward that would backpedal President Joe Biden’s suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal property, Daines announced Wednesday.
“President Biden is continuing his attack on American energy, this time by blocking all new oil and gas leases on federal lands. This is another blow to Made in America energy, jobs and our Montana way of life,” Daines said in a release from his office. “This action will kill nearly one million American jobs, increase our reliance on the Middle East for energy, and will result in Montana alone losing over $40 million each year for services in rural communities. We can’t let this happen.”
Senator Jon Tester released a statement following the Administration’s signing of the executive order:
“These lands belong to taxpayers, and with less than half of currently leased acres producing, we need to ensure Montanans are getting a fair return for the natural resources on their property. The federal government should not be wasting taxpayer dollars on bureaucratic red tape or thousands of unused leases, but that effort cannot come at the expense of Montana jobs. That’s why I’ll hold the Biden Administration accountable to completing a review in a timely manner.”