Who it affects
- Oil and gas companies seeking leases
- Communities using the reserve
- Bureau of Land Management
Became lawOverturns a ruleEnergyEnvironmentPublic lands
Oil and gas leasing in Alaska
S.J.Res. 80 · Resolution · Introduced Sept. 18, 2025
This bill would reopen parts of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve to oil and gas leasing, affecting oil and gas companies and communities using the reserve.
At a glance
Where it stands
Passed the House 216 to 209 on Nov. 19.
Passed the Senate 52 to 45 on Oct. 30.
How South Carolina voted
Lobbying and money
10 groups lobbied on it: advocacy group or nonprofit, trade group.
Top link: Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) lobbied on it and gave $0 via PACs; $5,000 via lobbyists; $0 via employees to 3 SC members.
See who gave to whom ↓What it would do
- The bill would cancel the Bureau of Land Management’s April 25, 2022 plan for the National Petroleum Reserve.
- The reserve covers about 23 million acres on Alaska’s North Slope.
- The 2022 plan closed about 48% of the reserve to oil and gas leasing.
- That plan included protections for wildlife and community uses, such as gathering food.
- The bill would remove those protections and return to the 2020 plan.
Written with AI from the official summary by Congress's research office.
How South Carolina voted
House vote coverage is incomplete for 2025–2026. Vote and flagged-bill counts reflect imported records only; missing votes don't mean a member didn't vote.
House vote
Vote to pass
Nov. 19, 2025 · Passed 216 to 209
- Republicans
- 213 yes
- 1 no
- Democrats
- 3 yes
- 208 no
Senate vote
Vote to pass
Oct. 30, 2025 · Passed 52 to 45
- Republicans
- 51 yes
- 0 no
- Democrats
- 1 yes
- 43 no
- Independents
- 0 yes
- 2 no
Other votes on this bill (1)
Senate · Vote to start debate · Oct. 29, 2025 · Approved
Graham: Yes · Scott: Yes
Official vote ↗
Groups that lobbied on it and gave to SC's members
PAC, lobbyist campaign and qualifying employee money this election, shown separately and never added together. Lobbying reports name the bills a group worked on, not which side it took.
| Group | What it is | Gave SC members | Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) | Trade group | Lobbyists: $5,000 | 3 |
See all groups, by member
Members without a final recorded vote are grayed out and excluded from totals. Events and honors are not campaign money and aren't included. Matches use exact organization names.
| Organization | Darline GrahamNo vote | Lindsey GrahamYes | Tim ScottYes | Jim ClyburnNo | Joe WilsonYes | Nancy MaceYes | Ralph NormanYes | Russell FryYes | Sheri BiggsYes | William TimmonsYes | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) | – | Lobbyists: $3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Lobbyists: $1,000 | Lobbyists: $1,000 | – | 3 |
Official record
Official title, sponsor and status
- Official title
- A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision".
- Sponsor
- Sen. Sullivan, Dan (R-AK)
- Introduced
- Sept. 18, 2025
- Cosponsors
- 1
- Committees
- Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Latest action
- Dec. 5, 2025 · Became Public Law No: 119-47.
Official summary from the Congressional Research Service
This joint resolution reopens portions of the National Petroleum Reserve for oil and gas leasing. (The reserve is an approximately 23-million-acre area on Alaska’s North Slope.) Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies a plan submitted by the Bureau of Land Management in a rule titled National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision and issued on April 25, 2022. The 2022 plan replaced the 2020 plan and closed approximately 48% of the reserve to oil and gas leasing in order to protect certain surface resources and uses, such as protecting wildlife and providing subsistence for communities. Thus, the joint resolution removes the protections provided under the 2022 plan and reverts to the 2020 plan.
Summary on Congress.gov ↗Everyone who lobbied on this bill (10 groups)
20 reports. Fees cover each report's whole lobbying effort, not just this bill.
Businesses and trade groups (2)
- American Petroleum Institute ↗Energy · 1 report
- Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) ↗1 report
Labor unions (0)
None.
Advocacy groups and nonprofits (8)
- Americans for Prosperity ↗3 reports
- Human Rights Campaign ↗4 reports
- League of Conservation Voters ↗2 reports
- Sierra Club ↗3 reports
- Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions ↗1 report
- Defenders of Wildlife ↗2 reports
- Alaska Wilderness League Action ↗2 reports
- Backcountry Hunters & Anglers ↗1 report
Not classified (0)
None.
Lobbying firms (10)
- American Petroleum Institute ↗Energy · 1 report
- Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) ↗1 report
- Americans for Prosperity ↗3 reports
- Human Rights Campaign ↗4 reports
- League of Conservation Voters ↗2 reports
- Sierra Club ↗3 reports
- Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions ↗1 report
- Defenders of Wildlife ↗2 reports
- Alaska Wilderness League Action ↗2 reports
- Backcountry Hunters & Anglers ↗1 report
We sorted these groups by name and industry. The labels are ours, not legal categories.