US Federal House Bill HB408

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/15/25
• Refer: 1/15/25

Caption

To nullify the Presidential memoranda on the withdrawal of certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf from oil or natural gas leasing.

Summary

HB408 would nullify two Presidential memoranda issued on January 6, 2025 that withdrew certain areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf from oil and natural gas leasing. The bill specifically targets withdrawal actions affecting offshore areas in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific, as well as the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area. In practical terms, the measure would remove the legal effect of those memoranda and reopen the possibility of leasing in the affected offshore areas, subject to any other applicable federal laws and regulations. The bill is narrowly drafted and does not itself authorize leasing; rather, it eliminates the cited presidential restrictions on leasing access to those areas.

Impact

If enacted, HB408 would amend the legal status of the two January 6, 2025 presidential memoranda by declaring them to have no force or effect. This would affect federal offshore energy policy by potentially restoring access to portions of the Outer Continental Shelf for oil and natural gas leasing, including areas off the Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coast, Pacific Coast, and the Northern Bering Sea. The bill would primarily affect federal agencies responsible for offshore leasing and energy development, as well as industry stakeholders, coastal communities, and environmental interests tied to offshore resource management.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record is available, so there is no recorded debate or roll-call evidence of support or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears aligned with pro-development and pro-energy-access interests, while likely drawing concern from environmental and climate-focused stakeholders who support the withdrawals. The available context shows only that the bill was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Contention

The main point of contention is whether offshore areas should remain protected from oil and gas leasing or be reopened for energy development. Supporters are likely to argue that the presidential withdrawals unnecessarily restrict domestic energy production and economic activity, while opponents are likely to emphasize environmental protection, coastal ecosystem risks, and the climate-resilience rationale for the Northern Bering Sea withdrawal. Because the bill directly overturns presidential memoranda, it also raises a separation-of-powers and executive authority issue over who controls offshore leasing policy.