Bills · HR 1194
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 1194Energy
Federal Lands and Waters Leasing Transparency Act
INTRO FEB 11· LAST ACTION FEB 11
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
1
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it fundamentally changes how legal challenges impact oil and gas development on federal lands and waters. If passed, it would provide greater certainty and predictability for oil and gas companies, potentially accelerating the pace of energy development by insulating leases and related permits from the immediate impact of court decisions. This could lead to more rapid approval and initiation of new drilling projects.
However, it also significantly limits the power of courts to intervene when federal lease sales are found to be illegal or non-compliant with environmental laws. If a court can't halt operations or invalidate a lease even when a legal error is found, it could reduce the effectiveness of judicial oversight and environmental protections. This means that even if a sale was improperly handled, drilling could proceed, which could be a concern for voters prioritizing environmental protection and accountability in government actions.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide a detailed report to any company whose offshore oil and gas lease bid is rejected for not meeting "fair market value."
This increases transparency for bidding companies, giving them insight into the government's valuation process and reasons for rejection.
PROVISION 02
Clarifies that court orders cannot prevent the Secretary from issuing onshore oil and gas leases by the 60-day deadline, unless the court finds a direct violation of federal law.
This provision aims to reduce delays in issuing onshore leases by limiting the scope of court injunctions.
PROVISION 03
States that civil actions challenging offshore oil and gas lease sales cannot affect the validity of issued leases or delay the processing of related exploration and drilling permits.
This is a significant change, as it protects offshore leases and their associated activities from being halted or invalidated by court challenges, even if the underlying lease sale is found to be illegal.
PROVISION 04
If a court finds an offshore lease sale was non-compliant, it must remand the matter to the Secretary to correct the issue, but cannot set aside the sale or leases, or stop permit processing.
This provision ensures that offshore oil and gas operations can continue even if a court finds the initial lease sale violated federal law, limiting the judicial remedy to a directive for corrective action by the government.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 1
R· Louisiana
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
39
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSFEB 11
Introduced in House
FEB 11
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 1194
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 11, 2025
Last actionFeb 11, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 11, 2025
House BillHR 1194Energy
Federal Lands and Waters Leasing Transparency Act
INTRODUCED FEB 11, 2025· LAST ACTION FEB 11, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
4 min
COSPONSORS
1
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
