On the recordAugust 6, 2022
Mr. President, my amendment requires that the Secretary of the Interior--requires that he complete, or she, pending coal lease applications under the Bureau of Land Management. I believe we cannot allow the Biden administration to block the mining of our own essential energy resources and building materials. I urge my colleagues to support our coal miners and vote ``yes'' on this amendment. Basically, the amendment would require that the Secretary of the Interior to complete pending coal lease processes for both metallurgical and thermal coal. Currently, the administration has paused the Lease by Application program for Federal coal leases at the Bureau of Land Management and so forth. It does not change the law. It simply seeks to raise revenue by accelerating and ensuring approval of leases that are currently paused by the Department of the Interior. It makes a lot of sense to the American people, and it will put a lot of people back to work. I urge adoption. Amen. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.





