,,iv  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #ghh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,june #ae1 #bjaf ,mr4 
,nunes submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i*
 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,natural   
,res\rces  ,,resolution  ,express+ !    
s5se ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives t      
,arctic lease sales :i* are already     
includ$ 9 ! ,draft ,propos$ ,plan mu/   
/ay 9 ! propos$ #bjag-bjbb ,out]        
,cont95tal ,%elf ,oil  ,gas ,leas+      
,program4  ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t ( !       
,int]ior is curr5tly receiv+ comm5ts on 
its propos$ #bjag-bjbb ,out] ,cont95tal 
,%elf ,oil  ,gas ,leas+ ,program 7!     
,propos$ ,program72 ,:]eas ! ,h\se      
concurs ) ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior t !  
,propos$ ,program is an important       
compon5t ( ! ,presid5t's compreh5sive   
en]gy /rategy to all[ = safe &          
responsible dome/ic oil & natural gas   
production z a means to support economic
 gr[? & job creation1 & enhance en]gy   
security2 ,:]eas ,congress 9 ! ,out]    
,cont95tal ,%elf ,l&s ,act /ates t !    

out] ,cont95tal ,%elf is a vital        
national res\rce res]ve held by ! ,f$]al
 ,gov]nm5t = ! public1 :i* %\ld be made 
available = exp$iti\s & ord]ly          
developm5t1 subject to environm5tal     
safegu>ds1 9 a mann] :i* is consi/5t ) !
 ma9t5ance ( competition & o!r national 
ne$s2 ,:]eas ! ,propos$ ,program        
envisions up to t5 sales 9 ! ,gulf (    
,mexico & "o 9 ea* ( ?ree areas (f (    
,alaska1 two ( ^! 9 ! ,arctic2 ,:]eas   
includ+ ,arctic lease sales 9 ! ,propos$
 ,program w\ld provide an option =      
future ,arctic lease sales2 ,:]eas !    
,u4,s4 ,arctic is e/imat$ to conta9 at  
lea/ #cd billion b>rels ( oil equival5t2
 ,:]eas ! pot5tial ( our ,nation's      
,arctic res\rces is va/--& ! safe &     
effici5t developm5t ( ^! res\rces is    
pivotal n only to local communities on !
 ,nor? ,slope1 b also to ensure our     
,nation /ays on our pa? to en]gy        
indep5d5ce & global en]gy lead]%ip2     
,:]eas ,am]ica's ,arctic has ! res\rce  
pot5tial to rev]se ! /eady ?r\ghput     

decl9e ( ! ,trans-,alaska ,pipel9e      
,sy/em 7h]e9aft] 9 ?is resolution ref]r$
 to z ,,taps71 :i* is op]at+ at only #be
 p]c5t ( its pot5tial & is cont9u+ to   
decl9e2 ,:]eas ! cont9u$ decl9e ( ,nor? 
,slope oil & decreas+ ?r\ghput ?reat5s !
 viability ( ,,taps1 :i*1 )\t m oil1 w  
face significant op]ational *all5ges &  
ev5tually face premature %ut d[n &      
decommission+2 ,:]eas ! ,we/ ,coa/ ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates relies heavily on ,alaskan
 oil & ) decl9+ production is rely+ m on
 import$ s\rces2 ,:]eas ! ,en]gy        
,in=mation ,adm9i/ration expects !      
,unit$ ,/ates oil production to beg9    
fall+ 9 ! #bjbjs & cont9ue decl9+ ?r\gh 
#bjdj2 ,:]eas ! ,national ,petroleum    
,c\ncil has /at$ t ! long lead times    
necess>y to br+ on new crude oil        
production f ,alaska w\ld co9cide ) a   
long-t]m expect$ decl9e ( ,u4,s4 ,l[]   
#dh production2 ,:]eas ,arctic en]gy    
developm5t w all[ = critical regional   
infra/ructure includ+ deep wat] ports1  
,arctic class vessels1 & se>* & rescue  

capabilities ) collat]al b5efits =      
,u4,s4 milit>y op]ations 9 ! region2    
,:]eas en]gy security promotes national 
security by r$uc+ ,u4,s4 dep5d5ce on !  
natural res\rces ( ho/ile =eign regimes2
 ,:]eas ! /rategic significance ( !     
,arctic is gr[+ due to exp&+            
geopolitical int]e/s2 ,:]eas ,russia has
 be5 inve/+ heavily 9 ! region ) a      
_w-lead+ #dj icebreak]s1 new ,arctic    
bases1 airfields1 & ports1 & ambiti\s   
new en]gy developm5t projects2 ,:]eas   
,*9a1 call+ itself a ne>-,arctic /ate1  
has be5 build+ new icebreak]s & enc\rag+
 ,*9ese %ipp+ companies to use ,arctic  
sea r\tes2 ,:]eas ! ,arctic capabilities
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates h dramatically decl9$
 & ! ,unit$ ,/ates only has two         
op]ational icebreak]s2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$  
,/ates ,coa/ ,gu>d has det]m9$ t !      
,unit$ ,/ates ne$s at lea/ six new      
icebreak]s = its future ,arctic ne$s2   
,:]eas exclud+ ,arctic leases f !       
propos$ plan w\ld signal a ,u4,s4       
)drawal f ! ,arctic region at a "t :5   

,u4,s4 lead]%ip is ne$$ to protect      
,u4,s4 int]e/s2 ,:]eas ! ,novemb] #bjac 
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se 7,do,d7 ,arctic     
,/rategy /ates t ,do,d's desir$ end-/ate
 = ! ,arctic is a secure & /able region 
:]e ,u4,s4 national int]e/s are         
safegu>d$2 ,:]eas ! ,may #bjac ,unit$   
,/ates ,coa/ ,gu>d ,arctic ,/rategy     
/ates t ,! ,unit$ ,/ates is an ,arctic  
nation ) significant int]e/s 9 ! future 
( ! region2 ,:]eas a /udy publi%$ by !  
,national ,petroleum ,c\ncil 9 ,m>*     
#bjae f\nd t ,mo/ ( ! ,u4,s4 ,arctic    
(f%ore conv5tional oil  gas pot5tial c  
be develop$ us+ exi/+ field-prov5       
te*nology2 ,:]eas (f%ore en]gy          
developm5t is an important s\rce (      
rev5ue into ! ,f$]al treasury1 g5]at+ a 
record #ah billion 9 ,,fy#bjjh1 ( :i*   
#b4g billion 0 f (f%ore leas+ 9 ,alaska 
alone2 ,:]eas ! national1 ! ,do,d1 &    
,coa/ ,gu>d /rategies = ! ,arctic dep5d 
on gov]nm5t & private sector coop]ation1
 includ+ private inve/m5ts 9 ,arctic    
infra/ructure to lev]age res\rces &     

exp]tise2 & ,:]eas ! ov]:elm+ majority (
 ,alaskans1 includ+ ,alaska ,native     
communities )9 ! ,arctic1 support future
 ,arctic res\rce developm5t3 ,n[1 !re=e1
 be x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives--   
7#a7 reaffirms t ,am]ica's /rategic     
options %\ld n be con/rict$ by exclusion
 ( future ,arctic economic              
opportunities2 &  7#b7 /rongly supports 
keep+ ,arctic lease sales z "p ( ! new  
,propos$ ,program4