WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced an amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to unleash U.S. energy production by mandating oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico. 

“On day one, President Biden launched a full-blown war on America’s oil and gas jobs, and we see the results: Louisianians’ cost of living has skyrocketed and the price of almost every product in this country has gone up—thanks to his attacks. My amendment is the first step to restoring the thousands of energy jobs killed by this administration, and returning Louisiana and America to the days when families did not have to choose between putting food on their tables or gas in their cars,” said Kennedy.  

Kennedy’s amendment requires the Department of the Interior to authorize two leases per year for five years in the Gulf of Mexico to oil producers, and requires the department to authorize one lease in the Cook Inlet. 

Support for this legislation includes the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, National Ocean Industries Association, International Association of Drilling Contractors, Consumer Energy Alliance, International Association for Geophysical Chemistry, Petroleum Equipment and Service Association and others.

Text of the amendment is available here.