A Republican bill with 18 Republican cosponsors · See all 18 cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 226–188
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
This Act is titled the ``Protecting American Energy Production Act''. It seeks to prohibit a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing. Under this bill, the President is not allowed to declare a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes it through an Act. Additionally, it expresses the sense of Congress that States should keep the primary role in regulating hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production on State and private lands.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill expresses the sense of Congress that states should maintain primacy in regulating hydraulic fracturing on state and private lands.
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
Energy company owners benefit from the increased regulatory certainty and protection against sudden moratoria.
- Scored +3
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill supports the energy industry which is a significant employer in many rural areas.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?
The bill makes it harder to halt fossil fuel production by restricting the President's ability to declare a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.
What Congress actually voted on
2 recorded votes have been taken on this bill. One of them decided something; the rest moved it along.
- The House: the vote on whether to pass the bill This is the real decision in this chamber. Passing here sends the bill to the other chamber, which must pass it too before it can go to the President. Passed 226 yes · 188 no
02/07/2025 · Roll call 35 · recorded as “On Passage”
- The House: a last attempt to send the bill back to committee The minority party's final chance to change or stall a bill just before the vote on passage. It almost always fails; when it succeeds, the bill does not get its final vote that day. Motion to recommit rejected 205 yes · 207 no
02/07/2025 · Roll call 34 · recorded as “On Motion to Recommit”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Prevention of unilateral moratoria: By requiring an Act of Congress to authorize a moratorium, the bill prevents the President from stopping hydraulic fracturing on their own, which is addressed in Section 2(b).
-
State regulatory control: The bill expresses that States should maintain primacy for regulating hydraulic fracturing on State and private lands, as noted in Section 2(a).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly listed in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Energy company owners benefit from the increased regulatory certainty and protection against sudden moratoria. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill supports the energy industry which is a significant employer in many rural areas.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — By preventing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, the bill ensures continued activity in the energy sector which supports jobs. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill provides regulatory certainty for energy-related small businesses by preventing unilateral federal bans.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill expresses the sense of Congress that states should maintain primacy in regulating hydraulic fracturing on state and private lands.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Is this likely to lower the price at the pump? — Securing continuous hydraulic fracturing activity can help stabilize or lower fuel prices by ensuring supply. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — The bill makes it harder to halt fossil fuel production by restricting the President's ability to declare a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.
- 2/10/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2/7/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 226 - 188 (Roll no. 35).
- On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 226 - 188 (Roll no. 35). (text: CR H561)
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 205 - 207 (Roll no. 34).
- The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
- Mr. Casten moved to recommit to the Committee on Natural Resources. (text: CR H568)
- The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 26.
- Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 5. (consideration: CR H561-569)
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/5/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 2/4/2025
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- 1/22/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/13/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/9/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 1/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
5 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Stephanie BiceRepublican · Oklahoma
Andy BarrRepublican · Kentucky
Brian BabinRepublican · Texas
James BairdRepublican · Indiana
Nicholas BegichRepublican · Alaska
Ben ClineRepublican · Virginia
Julie FedorchakRepublican · North Dakota
Tony GonzalesRepublican · Texas
Craig GoldmanRepublican · Texas
Brandon GillRepublican · Texas
Erin HouchinRepublican · Indiana
Mike HaridopolosRepublican · Florida
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Nicholas LangworthyRepublican · New York
Daniel MeuserRepublican · Pennsylvania
John McGuireRepublican · Virginia
Michael RulliRepublican · Ohio
Randy WeberRepublican · Texas