Alaska's Right to Produce Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Alaska Right to Produce Act, and I thank my colleagues Pete Stauber and August Pfluger for the work with RSC's House Energy Action Team to put the legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, it has been noted here that we talk certain ways but vote others. I think nothing is more evident than what we just saw just a few minutes ago where the gentlewoman from Alaska supported the bill but is going to vote ``present.''

You are either with Alaska or you are not. The Republicans are with Alaska. I just want to note for the record that we are going to vote to support Alaska.

This legislation is only necessary because of the disastrous policymaking coming out of the Biden administration. It is hard to believe today that the national average for a gallon of gas in 2020 was just over $2. Under President Trump, the United States was well on our way not only to being energy independent, but energy dominant.

Where do we and our allies get our oil from when we are not producing it ourselves? We get it from Russia, Venezuela, and other bad actors around the globe.

Let's be clear: Halting domestic production of oil and gas does absolutely nothing to lower our dependence on oil and gas, as the climate lobby wants you to believe. It just increases our dependence on people like Vladimir Putin.

I don't want the United States to rely on anything from Vladimir Putin. The solution is so simple: Use the resources under our own feet. The Alaska Right to Produce Act reverses the damaging policies from Joe Biden to unleash our domestic energy potential.

Alaska has been blessed with tremendous oil and natural gas deposits, and the people of Alaska are incredibly supportive of utilizing those resources.

This bill empowers the Native Alaskan communities and residents of the State to profit from the resources under their own soil. In a future where America is energy dominant, the only loser is Vladimir Putin, and others like him.

It helps our allies when we can provide them with oil and gas so that they are not reliant on Putin, either. It helps our own people by lowering costs and providing cleaner, more affordable energy sources, and it helps Alaska reap the benefits of the resources in their land.

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Mr. HERN. It is just common sense, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this essential legislation.

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