HYDE-SMITH VOTES TO BEGIN OVERTURNING HARMFUL BIDEN ENERGY POLICIES
Senator Cosponsors Resolutions of Disapproval to Rescind Policies, Taxes Imposed to Restrict U.S. Energy Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today cheered the start of a legislative effort to begin repealing certain Biden administration rules intended to curtail American oil and gas production, including future development in the Gulf of America.
Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, cosponsored several Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions of disapproval to overturn Biden-era energy policies, including S.J.Res.11 to reverse a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) rule that restricts oil and gas production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
“President Trump was right to declare a National Energy Emergency to undo Biden administration policies that undermine American energy production. Now, it’s time for Congress to step up and use the Congressional Review Act to rescind the Biden rules, regulations, and taxes imposed to strangle U.S. oil and gas production,” Hyde-Smith said. “These votes to approve resolutions of disapproval are an important first step.”
The Senate on Tuesday night voted 54-44 to approve S.J.Res.11, which was introduced by U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) to stop a September 2024 rule requiring all new oil and gas leaseholders on the OCS to submit an archeological report to the BOEM before beginning production. The rule restricts offshore oil and gas activities by requiring extensive reporting on archaeological and cultural resources in any area targeted for energy development.
“The Biden administration was in hyperdrive to finalize regulatory strangleholds on U.S. oil and gas production, one of which is this BOEM cultural survey requirement. It is an unnecessary and excessive burden on offshore energy activities,” Hyde-Smith said.
This week, the Senate is also scheduled to consider S.J.Res.12, a separate CRA resolution of disapproval also cosponsored by Hyde-Smith to stop the Biden administration’s Natural Gas Tax, also known as the methane emissions fee.
S.J.Res.12 would repeal the section of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that applied a new tax on offshore and onshore petroleum and natural gas production, onshore natural gas processing and transmission compression, liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage, and LNG import and export equipment.
“We’re all paying for the radical Green New Deal-style policies forced on us by the previous administration. Energy costs – natural gas, gasoline, and electricity – have all skyrocketed over the past four years,” Hyde-Smith said. “I cosponsored S.J.Res.12 because imposing new taxes on producers won’t do anything to bring costs down or promote U.S. energy dominance moving forward.”
Hyde-Smith will oppose S.J.Res.10, a Democratic CRA effort to overturn President Trump’s executive order declaring a National Energy Emergency.
The CRA allows Congress to overturn certain federal agency regulations and actions through a joint resolution of disapproval. If both houses of Congress approve such a joint resolution and the President signs it, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto, the regulation at issue becomes invalid.
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UPDATE 02/27/2025: U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith today voted with the majority to approve a second resolution of disapproval (S.J.Res.12/H.J.Res.35) to overturn the Biden Natural Gas Tas, part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The resolution, which Hyde-Smith cosponsored, passed 52-47 and now goes to President Trump for his consideration.
Last night, Hyde-Smith also voted with the majority to defeat the Democrats’ resolution to overturn the National Energy Emergency declared by President Trump on January 20, 2025. The resolution failed on a 47-52 vote.