May 7 (UPI) -- House Republicans announced Wednesday that they advanced a budget bill that would increase fossil fuel production and mining of public lands.
The legislation passed through a Committee markup on a mostly party-line vote of 26-17, with Rep. Adam Gray, D-Calif., joining GOP members in the decision.
The House Committee on Natural Resources posted to its X account Wednesday that it "passed our part of the America-first budget reconciliation bill."
"We're generating billions of dollars in revenue through our natural resources, answering President Trump's call to unleash American energy dominance and wisely steward our land and resources for all," it said.
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The markup went on until close to 1 a.m. EDT Wednesday, when a controversial amendment was also added to the bill that would sell off some public lands in Utah and Nevada.
The bill requires the Interior Department to provide 30 chances for companies to bid on the right to drill in the Gulf of Mexico over the next 15 years and requires six similar auctions to be held for drilling inside Alaska's Cook Inlet.
It also will allow the reinstatement of leases to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and add four new drilling auctions there and also requires more Arctic drilling opportunities in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to take place. Timber sales on federal lands will also be increased and will require long-term timber contracts.
The bill also looks to lower fees that oil, gas and coal companies pay to mine or drill on public lands or in public waters, with royalty rates for oil and gas reduced from 16.67% to 12.5% and reduces coal rates from 12.5% to 7%.
Republicans have also said this portion of the bill would raise over $18.5 billion in savings and create new revenue for the federal government, which is expected to be used to pay for tax cuts.
Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark said in a press release that "committee Republicans took decisive action and advanced our portion of the one big, beautiful reconciliation bill," and that "These budgetary measures will deliver on President Trump's agenda to make our nation energy dominant today and into the future."
