S. 109 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 16, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRequires Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to hold two offshore oil and gas lease sales per year for 10 years in the Gulf of Mexico. Each sale must offer at least 74 million acres. The bill also creates protected areas where oil and gas leasing is banned through 2035, including regions near Florida's coast and the Eastern Planning Area, and it limits how environmental lawsuits can delay these lease sales.
How it affects you
This mainly affects the oil and gas industry and states that benefit from offshore energy development, particularly through lease revenue and jobs. Coastal communities near the Gulf of Mexico and Florida may experience changes related to offshore energy activities in their region. The bill has no direct effect on most other Americans' daily lives, though energy markets and prices are shaped by oil and gas supply decisions.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 16, 2025)
Offshore Energy Security Act of 2025
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to conduct two offshore oil and gas lease sales per year for 10 years in the Gulf of Mexico Region Program Area, places a moratorium on oil and gas leases in certain areas, and establishes related requirements.
Interior must offer at least 74 million acres for each offshore lease sale in such region. The bill stipulates the terms and conditions of such leases. Interior must also carry out the lease sales in accordance with the Record of Decision approved by Interior on January 17, 2017.
Interior may waive certain requirements under the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program that would delay final approval of those lease sales.
In addition, the bill prohibits such lease sales from being invalidated as a result of lawsuits relating to environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. It also limits delays to the lease sales as a result of the lawsuits.
Finally, the bill extends through 2035 a moratorium on oil and gas leasing in (1) any area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico; (2) any area in the Eastern Planning Area that is within 125 miles of Florida's coastline; and (3) certain areas in the Central Planning Area, including specified areas along Florida's coastline. It also places a moratorium through 2035 on oil and gas leasing in the South Atlantic Planning Area or the Straits of Florida Planning Area.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 109
A BILL
Offshore Energy Security Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) · Introduced Jan 16, 2025 · Energy · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jan 16, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.”