Press Releases

Today, Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Congresswoman Mary Peltola (AK-AL) released the following statements in response to the Biden Administration’s proposed restrictions on oil and gas development in Alaska’s North Slope, including lease cancellations in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
 
"Today’s disappointing announcement by the Interior Department is yet another salvo in President Biden’s war on American energy development,” said Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04). “The same Administration that begged OPEC for more crude oil to alleviate prices at the pump is shutting down American energy development. In order to ensure our energy security and independence, President Biden and Secretary Haaland should unleash our vast domestic energy resources and reverse this harmful decision immediately."

"I am deeply frustrated by the reversal of these leases in ANWR,” said Representative Mary Peltola (AK-AL). “This administration showed that it is capable of listening to Alaskans with the approval of the Willow Project, and it is some of those same Inupiat North Slope communities who are the ones that are most impacted by this decision. I will continue to advocate for them and for Alaska's ability to explore and develop our natural resources, from the critical minerals we need for our clean energy transition to the domestic oil and gas we need to get us there. We can only get to that transition by listening to the people on the ground. Finally, we can't keep erasing our progress with every administration. I will continue to advocate for permitting reform that includes predictable timelines from the federal government, which must be a reliable partner in leasing and developing our resources."