What the Committee Does
The Energy and Natural Resources Committee handles legislation and oversight related to the nation's energy production and conservation, including oil and gas, coal, nuclear, hydropower, and renewable energy. It shapes policies on energy security, grid reliability, efficiency, and the federal government's role in supporting emerging technologies.
The committee also manages issues involving public lands and resources: national parks and monuments, national forests, wildlife refuges, water projects, mining, and mineral development on federal lands. It oversees agencies like the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and portions of the Department of Energy.
Led by a Chair from the majority party and a Ranking Member from the minority, the committee holds hearings with administration officials, energy executives, land managers, Tribal leaders, and environmental advocates. Its decisions affect energy prices, climate policy, wildfire risks, and how millions of acres of public land are managed for recreation, conservation, and development.
Committee Membership
Heinrich (Ranking Member) appears at the far left of the outer arc; Lee (Chair) at the far right. Democratic and caucusing members cluster on the left side of the semicircle, Republicans on the right.
Key Energy & Natural Resources Legislation
Recent measures within the committee's jurisdictionBig Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act
Adjusts the boundary of Big Bend National Park in Texas to incorporate additional lands, enabling improved management, conservation, and public access within the park.
Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Establishment Act
Establishes the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument to commemorate the Tulsa Greenwood community and the 1921 race massacre, preserving key sites and providing for interpretation and public education.
A bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which licensees are required to commence construction of certain hydropower projects
Requires FERC to extend commencement deadlines for specified hydropower projects, preventing licenses from expiring and allowing additional time for construction and financing to move forward.
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025
Reauthorizes the Secure Rural Schools program, continuing payments to counties and school districts that historically relied on federal timber receipts, and supporting rural education, roads, and public services.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act
Improves access to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine by addressing rights-of-way and transportation issues, supporting recreation, tourism, and local economic development.
Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act
Extends system conservation and demand management authority in the Colorado River Basin, allowing continued funding for water-saving projects to stabilize reservoir levels and support drought resilience.
A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the BLM rule on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan
Invokes the Congressional Review Act to disapprove a Bureau of Land Management rule governing the Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska, aiming to overturn land-use restrictions adopted in that plan.
A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the BOEM rule on Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources
Nullifies a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management rule on protecting marine archaeological resources, using the Congressional Review Act to reverse the regulation and its requirements on offshore energy activities.
A resolution expressing support for the designation of July 10, 2025, as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day
Expresses Senate support for designating July 10, 2025, as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day, honoring lineworkers who build, maintain, and repair the electric grid and respond to storms and disasters.