Lummis, Cruz, Cornyn, Lee Introduce Bill to Block the Biden Administration’s Latest Weaponization of the ESA to Attach U.S. Oil and Gas Producers

July 17, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT), all members of the Senate Western Caucus, in introducing legislation to block the Biden administration's latest attempt to abuse the antiquated Endangered Species Act(ESA) to punish oil and gas producers across the west. Their legislation would reverse a final rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listing the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as endangered.

"This administration continues to use the outdated ESA to pummel energy producers across the west with heavy-handed regulations that compromise our energy independence to score points with climate change alarmists back in Washington," said Lummis. "Despite embarrassingly low recovery rates, this administration will use any species it can to drown ranchers and landowners out west in a sea of red tape with no regard for the broader consequences. Our ability to achieve energy independence is paramount to our national security, and I will not stand idly by as this administration continues its chronic misuse of the ESA."

"The Biden administration has used the federal government to suppress American energy production at the exact time when the country and indeed the world needs access to affordable American energy," said Cruz. "This disastrous rule threatens American jobs and undermines the production of energy in the Permian Basin. I call on the Senate to expeditiously take up and pass my legislation to reverse it."

"This rule is nothing more than a veiled attempt by the Biden administration to kneecap American energy under the guise of conservation," said Cornyn. "We should be doing more - not less - to unleash domestic energy production, which is why I look forward to this absurd and unnecessary rule being struck down."

The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard is a small, light brown lizard that lives in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico.

Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) previously introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Read the full text of the legislation here.