House approves bill setting timeline for permitting drilling projects

House Republicans passed the second component of a wide-ranging legislative package Wednesday aimed at expanding domestic oil production.

The bill requires that the Interior Department act on offshore drilling permit requests within 30 days. The bill allows two 15-day extensions, but it specifies that permit would be deemed approved if the Interior Department does not act within 60 days.

The bill passed in a 263-163 vote. No Republicans voted against the bill and 28 Democrats voted for the bill.

The bill is the second in a three-bill legislative package authored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.). The first bill, which would require oil lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Virginia coast, passed last week.

But the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, and the White House has blasted the legislation, arguing that it would “undercut” beefed-up safety standards imposed by the administration in the aftermath of last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Republicans cast the legislation Wednesday as essential for restarting and expanding drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in the aftermath of last year’s spill. They have accused the Interior Department of moving too slowly in issuing permits.

“America is on her way back and it starts in the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s put the Gulf back to work so we can put America back to work,” Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.) said.

But Democrats countered that the bill sacrifices safety in order to speed up permitting.

Republicans rejected 11 amendments offered to the bill by Democrats.