The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s portion of Republicans’ party-line bill proposes to sell off certain public lands and repeal billions of dollars for energy programs in Democrats’ 2022 climate law.
The committee’s proposal, unveiled Wednesday evening, contains many of the provisions in the House-passed H.R. 1, the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” — including ones that would target the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office or charge a one-time fee to speed up permitting for some natural gas projects.
But there are some significant differences. Most notable is a new section favored by Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) to revive the sale of public lands, reigniting a firestorm of opposition from advocates. The provision goes further than an abandoned proposal in the House, encompassing Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands across 11 Western states.
ENR’s text comes as the Senate is racing to tweak and quickly vote on tax, energy and national security legislation after the House approved its version last month. Republicans are working through the reconciliation process, which will allow them to skirt the Senate filibuster and pass the budget-focused bill with simple majorities.
