Austin News

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced legislation aimed at reversing a final rule issued by the Fish & Wildlife Service, which lists the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard under the Endangered Species Act. This rule, according to Cruz, would hinder land use for oil and gas production in Texas' Permian Basin and potentially increase energy costs for American consumers.

Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas-11) had previously introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.

In his statement, Sen. Cruz said, "The Biden administration has used the federal government to suppress American energy production at the exact time when the country and indeed the world needs access to affordable American energy. This disastrous rule threatens American jobs and undermines the production of energy in the Permian Basin. I call on the Senate to expeditiously take up and pass my legislation to reverse it."

Rep. Pfluger echoed these sentiments: "Listing the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species is another effort by the Biden Administration to shut down drilling in the Permian Basin. Our Congressional Review Act is President Biden's attempt to use a lizard as a weapon against the oil & gas industry. We will not allow the President to take control of private property and kill energy jobs in the Permian Basin."

Sen. Cruz's bill was co-sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah).

The bill has garnered support from several organizations including The Permian Basin Petroleum Association, Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association, Independent Petroleum Association of America, Texas Farm Bureau, Plains Cotton Growers, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, The American Petroleum Institute (API), U.S. Oil & Gas Association (USOGA), Heritage Action, Texas Corn Producers, and American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC).