WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), alongside Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) to cut energy costs and support President Trump's pro-energy agenda. Specifically, the CRA disapproves of the Environmental Protection Agency's burdensome charge on waste emissions for petroleum and natural gas.

“As part of his war on energy, former President Biden took radical steps to end fossil fuels during his administration which hurt the hardworking energy producers in my district who have worked diligently to increase production while fueling our allies abroad,” said Rep. Pfluger, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “Biden’s burdensome natural gas tax has handicapped technological innovation, reduced supplies of affordable energy, and increased both costs and emissions. With President Trump back in office, it is time to restore American energy dominance – which is why I am proud to lead this CRA to rescind this ill-conceived natural gas tax.”

“The Waste Emissions Charge is just another unnecessary and wasteful regulation levied by the Biden EPA to go after oil and gas - the lifeblood of our economy," said Rep. Arrington, Chairman of the House Budget Committee. "I’m proud to join my colleague and neighbor, Rep. August Pfluger, in preserving reliable, low-cost energy produced by our independent oil and gas companies by fighting to repeal this burdensome regulation and support President Trump’s pro-growth, energy DOMINANCE agenda.”

“When it comes to bringing down prices and making America energy secure again, we have our work cut out for us. The Biden-Harris administration imposed countless policies like the Natural Gas Tax that drive up the cost of production and limit the ability to fully utilize our nation’s abundant energy resources, and it will take real time and effort to undo the effects of their Green New Deal agenda,” said Senator Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Through efforts like this CRA resolution, we are working to get our nation back on the right track, providing needed regulatory and tax relief to deliver real cost savings to American energy producers and consumers.”

Rep. Pfluger's CRA is supported by Representatives Troy Balderson (OH-12), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Mike Carey (OH-15), Michael Rulli (OH-06), Gary Palmer (AL-06), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), John Joyce (PA-13), Randy Weber (TX-14), Bob Latta (OH-05), Nick Langworthy (NY-23), Buddy Carter (GA-01), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01).

Text of the CRA is available here.

Rep. Pfluger's CRA is also supported by several American Energy Groups who applauded his leadership on this legislation including, American Exploration, Production Council (AXPC) and American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).

Anne Bradbury, CEO of the American Exploration & Production Council said, “AXPC supports Rep. Pfluger and Senator Hoeven’s efforts to use the Congressional Review Act to repeal EPA’s flawed rule to implement the natural gas tax because it’s critical to negate these punitive regulatory requirements now, while we work to undo the underlying statute that penalizes American-made oil and natural gas and also fails to account for the significant progress we’ve made and will continue to make to reduce methane emissions as a sector.”

IPAA President & CEO Jeff Eshelman: “The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) appreciates and supports Congressman Pfluger’s leadership to overturn the EPA’s Waste Emissions Charge (Methane Tax) regulations as well as the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution introduced today. This CRA will allow Congress to nullify the regulations the Biden Administration established to implement the misguided methane tax. The Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress passed the methane tax to single out and punish the oil and natural gas industry despite its already burdensome EPA regulatory framework. The tax was passed without appropriate understanding of its impact or industry safeguards.  IPAA has always opposed the methane tax and believe it is simply a tax designed to hamper American oil and gas production. We encourage Congress to work with the Trump Administration to eliminate this unnecessary tax on American oil and natural gas producers as soon as possible.”