Central Montana Times

U.S. Senator Steve Daines, alongside his Republican colleagues, has introduced two bills aimed at enhancing American energy production and supporting rural communities. The first bill, titled the "Supporting Made in America Energy Act," proposes measures to boost oil and gas development by mandating four annual onshore lease sales in major oil-producing states, two annual offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, and six offshore lease sales over a decade in Alaska's Cook Inlet.

Senator Daines emphasized the importance of these initiatives: “Now that we have a President who supports our energy industry instead of pushing a radical environmental agenda, it’s time to get to work on real change to unleash American energy and ensure that we remain dominant on the world stage. These bills will have a huge impact on creating Montana jobs, boosting our economy and protecting our national security, and I’ll work with my colleagues every step of the way to get them over the finish line.”

The second piece of legislation is the "Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act." This act seeks to eliminate the 2 percent administration fee imposed on federal oil and gas royalty payments made to local communities. By doing so, it aims for an equitable distribution of revenue from federal land resource development between states and the federal government.

Several senators have joined Daines in backing these legislative efforts. For the "Supporting Made in America Energy Act," co-sponsors include Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Curtis (R-Utah), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.).

For the "Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act," supporters include Senators Kevin Cramer (R-S.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Curtis (R-Utah), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.).

Both pieces of legislation aim to enhance state revenues from natural resources while fostering economic growth within rural communities.