Scalise Applauds Lease Sale in Gulf of Mexico, Calls for More Lease Sales

JEFFERSON, LA. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement after Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 261 was held on Wednesday. The lease sale was rescheduled after a court-ordered temporary injunction following last-minute changes to cut the acreage and impose restrictions on the sale in a backroom negotiation between the administration and radical anti-American energy extremists. Wednesday's lease sale resulted in $382 million in high bids from 26 companies in the Gulf of Mexico. 

"Today, we saw resoundingly strong demand for energy exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico, despite attempts by the Biden administration to prevent this sale at every turn. At a time when Americans are struggling with sky-high inflation and expensive energy costs, this administration continues to fail American families and small businesses by doing everything possible to make energy more expensive and leave us more dependent on foreign, hostile nations. 

“Instead, we should be unleashing American energy with additional lease sales in the Gulf to lower energy costs for hardworking American families, create more jobs here at home, secure funds for coastal restoration and hurricane protection in Louisiana, while also helping our allies abroad. 

"While I’m happy to see today’s lease sale move forward with such strong interest, President Biden has failed to schedule any lease sales for 2024, and is putting America’s energy and national security in jeopardy. We simply can’t afford to continue these failed policies, and I’ll continue fighting to restore America’s energy security."