Legislation was passed 226 to 188 by the Republican-controlled House to prevent future administrations from prohibiting oil and gas drilling without the consent of Congress.
The “Protecting American Energy Production Act” was passed by lawmakers in a vote on Friday, which forbids the president from “declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium.”
Republican House members unanimously voted in favor of the legislation’s passage, while 118 Democrats voted against it.
Just weeks before he left office, former President Joe Biden banned future oil and gas drilling along 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters, among other oil and gas-related regulations. The bill follows his actions.
The Republican who introduced the bill, Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, stated that the legislation was prompted by worries about possible fracking bans during the Biden administration.
“When President Biden took office, his administration took a ‘whole of government’ approach to wage war on American energy production, pandering to woke environmental extremists and crippling this thriving industry,” Pfluger said in a statement following the bill’s passage.
“My legislation that passed today is a necessary first step in reversing Biden’s war on energy by preventing the federal government from banning the use of hydraulic fracturing,” he said.
As part of his “drill, baby, drill” strategy, President Donald Trump has pledged to unleash energy produced in the United States since the campaign trail.
If the president signs the bill into law, it would stop the drilling method from being banned by subsequent administrations.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum launched internal investigations into agency actions that “burden” energy development on Monday, stripping the energy sector of “coercive” climate policies and oil lease bans implemented during the Biden administration.
This comes as President Trump’s approval rating has risen to near-record levels, despite several days of outrage from Democrats, establishment Republicans, and mainstream media outlets over the president’s ambitious trade changes.
According to a new poll conducted by J.L. Partners in collaboration with the Daily Mail, which surveyed 1,000 registered voters from March 31 to April 3, Trump’s support rating increased even after sweeping tariffs were imposed on dozens of trading partners on April 2.
The study indicated that Trump’s approval rating increased to 53 percent, a four-point improvement from last week’s poll, when it was 49 percent. The Daily Mail termed the outcome as “surprising” considering the intense pressure and stock market crash that occurred on Thursday and Friday.
Breaking down the numbers further, Trump’s favorability rating among voters aged 18 to 29 has improved by an amazing 13 points since March 7. The study implies Trump is building on the tremendous support he earned from the group in the November presidential election, when voters aged 18 to 29 switched 10 points in Trump’s favor after heavily supporting Joe Biden in 2020.
The president’s support rating increased by six percentage points among registered Democrats and independents, according to the study. The president’s favorability among black voters has increased by 17 points since last week’s survey.
Nearly 100 days into his presidency, American employers and job board leaders have given Trump a very favorable report card, saying they believe the economy “can win now,” even though, as they note, it hasn’t “started to win yet.”
“I would give President Trump, right now, a pretty solid B+,” FIG Strategy & Consulting founder, author and Freedom Economy Index (FEI) respondent TaChelle Lawson told Fox News Digital.
“He came in with a very clear plan, and that was focusing on economics. He’s definitely putting business first, trimming the fat. That’s something that small business owners, business operators understand and respect. I think that it’s clear that his focus is on American business,” she added. “I do, however, think that the messaging could use a little bit of work.”
