Press Releases

Rep. Gosar Votes to Unleash Job Creation
‘This Bill Is a No-Brainer’     

 Today, U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) voted in favor of the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act of 2013 (H.R.1965), legislation that would expand onshore American energy production on federal lands and create new American jobs by streamlining government red-tape and regulations. The House of Representatives passed H.R.1965 with a bipartisan vote of 228-192.

After the vote, Rep. Gosar issued the following statement: “This bill is a no-brainer. It will put families across the country back to work. By streamlining the federal government’s bureaucratic permitting process and eliminating unnecessary red-tape, we can unleash job creation in an important sector of our economy. This is especially important for Indian tribes and western states, where a significant portion of land is federally owned.”

BACKGROUND:
Since 2009, total federal oil production is down by nearly 8 percent and total federal natural gas production is down 21 percent. The recent increase in U.S. oil and natural gas production comes entirely from state and private lands.

Rep. Gosar is a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, where he helped navigate H.R.1965 through the legislative process. Specifically, he co-drafted Title V of the bill with House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Chairman Don Young (R-AK). This title promotes and encourages increased energy production on tribal lands by reducing government barriers and streamlining burdensome procedures. 

Sec.5008 will allow the Navajo Nation to assume responsibility for its subsurface leasing program. Given the vast supply of coal, oil and natural gas on the Navajo Reservation, there is enormous opportunity for the Nation to create jobs and provide revenues for the Navajo and surrounding communities if this bill is enacted into law.

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