"WASHINGTON - The House Natural Resources Committee late on Thursday passed legislation that will go into a wider budget reconciliation package that includes restoring protections for a pristine Arctic wildlife refuge from oil and gas drilling.

The committee approved the measure 24-13 after Republicans weighed down the process with about 100 amendments forcing Representative Raul Grijalva, a Democrat and the chairman of the panel, to extend markup of the bill into a second day after holding the first session last week.

Republicans urged Grijalva to postpone the panel's consideration of the bill, saying Congress should first help people recover from Hurricane Ida and concentrate on the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Representative Garret Graves, a Louisiana Republican who joined the panel remotely while dealing with the aftermath of Ida, said the bill would harm offshore oil production.

However, Grijalva said the bill is aimed at curbing climate change, which can make storms like Ida stronger, and creating jobs in the energy transition."

Timothy Gardner reports for Reuters September 9, 2021. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"House Panel Votes To Stop Oil Drilling In Arctic Refuge" (The Hill) [3]

"Oil Drilling Bans Advance in House With Climate Change Assault" (Bloomberg) [4]