The House voted to repeal a Biden administration regulation imposing a tax on the methane emissions of natural gas operators Tuesday afternoon in a vote of 221 to 205.
Republican Texas Rep. August Pfluger, chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, introduced the resolution, dubbed the Natural Gas Repeal Act, to rescind the Biden Environmental Protection Agency regulation under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Congress has authority under the CRA to repeal regulations issued in the final months of a previous administration.
Just seven Democrats supported rolling back former President Joe Biden’s natural gas tax, according to the vote tally. Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate GOP lawmaker that often bucks the party on environmental issues, also joined House Democrats in voting to preserve the natural gas tax regulation.
“In November, the American people overwhelmingly voted for lower energy prices, and today, House Republicans took another step towards fulfilling that mandate,” Pfluger told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an exclusive statement. “In the latest effort to reverse Biden’s disastrous energy policies, the House passed my bill to nullify the EPA’s rule implementing the ill-conceived natural gas tax.
“This tax raises costs on production, discourages investment, and increases energy prices across America. I am looking forward to working toward a full repeal of the underlying statute and continuing to implement President Trump’s pro-energy agenda.”
Republican North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven has introduced companion legislation, and the Senate is slated to hold out a procedural vote repealing the natural gas tax Thursday evening. President Donald Trump is expected to sign Congress’ repeal of Biden’s natural gas tax into law following the resolution’s passage in the Senate.
“While American oil and gas producers are laser focused on continuing to reduce emissions, it’s critical to undo these punitive implementing rules while we will continue to work with Congress to repeal the underlying statute for the tax that risks driving up energy costs,” Anne Bradbury, CEO of the American Exploration & Production Council said in a statement following the resolution’s passage. “We call on the Senate to pass Sen. John Hoeven’s companion version of this critical CRA and send it to President Trump’s desk, so that American energy companies can continue to innovate and produce the energy America needs.”
The Biden administration first proposed the natural gas tax regulation in January 2024.
Featured Image Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America
