Who it affects
- Oil and gas companies
- Bureau of Land Management
Stalled in the SenateOverturns a ruleEnergyEnvironmentPublic lands
Arctic refuge oil and gas rule
S.J.Res. 91 · Resolution · Introduced Oct. 28, 2025
This bill would cancel a federal rule governing oil and gas activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s Coastal Plain, affecting oil and gas companies.
At a glance
Where it stands
The Senate voted 49 to 47 to start debate on Dec. 3.
How South Carolina voted
Lobbying and money
8 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; $3,000 via lobbyists; $0 via employees to 1 SC members.
See who gave to whom ↓What it would do
- The bill would cancel the Bureau of Land Management’s December 9, 2024, rule for the Coastal Plain program.
- The rule replaced a 2020 decision that opened about 1.6 million acres to oil and gas leasing.
- The 2024 decision made about 1.2 million acres unavailable for leasing or exploration.
- It requires 400,000 acres for a specified oil and gas lease sale, with operating conditions.
- Current law requires those acres to be where oil and gas are most likely to be found.
Written with AI from the official summary by Congress's research office.
How South Carolina voted
Senate vote
Vote to start debate
Dec. 3, 2025 · Approved 49 to 47
- Republicans
- 49 yes
- 1 no
- Democrats
- 0 yes
- 44 no
- Independents
- 0 yes
- 2 no
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: $3,000 | 1 |
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 vote | Joe WilsonNo vote | Nancy MaceNo vote | Ralph NormanNo vote | Russell FryNo vote | Sheri BiggsNo vote | William TimmonsNo vote | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) | – | Lobbyists: $3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Lobbyists: $1,000 | Lobbyists: $1,000 | – | 1 |
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 "Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision".
- Sponsor
- Sen. Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK)
- Introduced
- Oct. 28, 2025
- Cosponsors
- 1
- Committees
- Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Latest action
- Dec. 4, 2025 · Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Official summary from the Congressional Research Service
This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), issued on December 9, 2024, and related to the record of decision (ROD) for the program that leases, develops, produces, and transports oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain program area within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The 2024 ROD that is being nullified by this resolution replaced the 2020 ROD that made all of the approximately 1.6 million acres of the program area available for oil and gas leasing. The 2024 ROD adopted Alternative D2 in the 2024 Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, which made approximately 1.2 million acres unavailable for leasing or exploration in order to protect and conserve resources and certain uses in these areas. However, the 2024 ROD requires the statutory minimum of 400,000 acres to be made available for oil and gas leasing in a specified lease sale, subject to certain stipulations and operating procedures. Under current law, those acres must be located in the areas with the highest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons.
Summary on Congress.gov ↗Everyone who lobbied on this bill (8 groups)
10 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 (6)
- Americans for Prosperity ↗3 reports
- League of Conservation Voters ↗1 report
- Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions ↗1 report
- World Wildlife Fund, Inc. ↗1 report
- Defenders of Wildlife ↗1 report
- Alaska Wilderness League Action ↗1 report
Not classified (0)
None.
Lobbying firms (8)
- American Petroleum Institute ↗Energy · 1 report
- Nfib (National Federation of Independent Business) ↗1 report
- Americans for Prosperity ↗3 reports
- League of Conservation Voters ↗1 report
- Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions ↗1 report
- World Wildlife Fund, Inc. ↗1 report
- Defenders of Wildlife ↗1 report
- Alaska Wilderness League Action ↗1 report
We sorted these groups by name and industry. The labels are ours, not legal categories.