United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and mineral resources, including nuclear development; irrigation and reclamation, territorial possessions of the United States, trust lands appertaining to America's indigenous peoples, and the conservation, use, and disposition of federal lands. Its roots go back to the Committee on Interior and Insulars Affairs. In 1977, it became the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and most matters regarding Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians were removed from its jurisdiction and transferred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

History The Committee on Public Lands was created in 1816 during the 14th Congress chaired by senator Jeremiah Morrow. In its early years, it managed the settlement of the recently purchased Missouri Territory. Over time, the committee oversaw the western expansion of the United States, including the Texas annexation, the Oregon Treaty, the Mexican Cession, and the Gadsden Purchase. The Homestead Act of 1860, which would have benefited western settlers and migrants, was a result of jurisdiction of the Public Lands Committee.

In 1849, the Department of the Interior was established, with the Public Lands Committee serving as legislative oversight. The committee became responsible for enacting legislation to conserve nature and its resources. Due to the actions of the committee, Congress began working towards preservation of forests, wilderness, and historical landmarks with the signing of the Antiquities Act in 1906 and the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916.

The committee has gone under a number of name changes, but the functions and policy have remained similar to its creation. In 1921, the committee merged with the Committee on Geological Surveys to become the Committee of Public Lands and Surveys. Following the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, it became the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, absorbing the jurisdiction of the Indian Affairs, Territorial and Insular Affairs, Mines and Mining, and Irrigation and Reclamation committees. Its most recent iteration, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, was established on February 4, 1977, after the Committee System Reorganization Amendments of 1977.

Jurisdiction In accordance of Rule XXV of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects is referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Coal production, distribution, and utilization; Energy policy; Energy regulation and conservation; Energy related aspects of deepwater ports; Energy research and development; Extraction of minerals from oceans and Outer Continental Shelf lands; Hydroelectric power, irrigation, and reclamation; Mining education and research; Mining, mineral lands, mining claims, and mineral conservation; National parks, recreation areas, wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, historical sites, military parks and battlefields, and on the public domain, preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest; National Petroleum Reserve; Nonmilitary development of nuclear energy; Oil and gas production and distribution; Public lands and forests, including farming and grazing thereon, and mineral extraction therefrom; Solar energy systems; and, Territorial possessions of the United States, including trusteeships. The Committee is also charged to "study and review, on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to energy and resources development, and report thereon from time to time."

Members, 119th Congress

Majority, (119th Congress)Minority (119th Congress)Mike Lee, Utah, Chair John Barrasso, Wyoming Jim Risch, Idaho Steve Daines, Montana Tom Cotton, Arkansas Dave McCormick, Pennsylvania Jim Justice, West Virginia (from January 14, 2025) Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Lisa Murkowski, Alaska John Hoeven, North DakotaMartin Heinrich, New Mexico, Ranking Member Ron Wyden, Oregon Maria Cantwell, Washington Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada John Hickenlooper, Colorado Alex Padilla, California Ruben Gallego, Arizona

Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberEnergyDave McCormick (R-PA)Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)National ParksSteve Daines (R-MT)Angus King (I-ME)Public Lands, Forests and MiningJohn Barrasso (R-WY)Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)Water and PowerJohn Hoeven (R-ND)Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Chairs Committee on Public Lands, 1816–1921 NamePartyStateStartEndDemocratic-RepublicanOH18161819Democratic-RepublicanMS18191820Democratic-RepublicanIL18191823Democratic-Republican(1823–1825)MO18231831National Republican(1825–1831)JacksonianAL18311832JacksonianIL18321833WhigMS18331835WhigOH18351836Jacksonian(1836–1837)MS18361841Democratic(1837–1841)WhigIN18411843WhigMI18431845DemocraticIL18451849DemocraticMI18491853DemocraticAR1853DemocraticIA18531855DemocraticMI18551859DemocraticAR18591861RepublicanIA18611865RepublicanKS18651873RepublicanRI18731875RepublicanIL18751879RepublicanIN18791881RepublicanKS18811891RepublicanOR18911893DemocraticAR18931895RepublicanID18951897RepublicanND18971908RepublicanMN19081912RepublicanUT19121913DemocraticOR19131915DemocraticMT19151919RepublicanUT19191921

Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, 1921–1947 NamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanUT19211923RepublicanWI19231924RepublicanND1924RepublicanOR19241927RepublicanND19271933DemocraticWY1933DemocraticNY19331937DemocraticCO19371941DemocraticNM19411947

Committee on Public Lands, 1947–1948 NamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanNE19471948

Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, 1948–1977 NamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanNE19481949DemocraticWY19491953RepublicanNE19531954RepublicanOR19541955DemocraticMT19551961DemocraticNM19611963DemocraticWA19631977

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 1977–present NamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticWA19771981RepublicanID19811987DemocraticLA19871995RepublicanAK19952001DemocraticNM2001RepublicanAK2001DemocraticNM20012003RepublicanNM20032007DemocraticNM20072013DemocraticOR20132014DemocraticLA20142015RepublicanAK20152021Democratic(2021–2024)WV20212025Independent Democrat(2024–2025)RepublicanUT2025present

Ranking members

NamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticNM19471949RepublicanNE19491953DemocraticMT19531955RepublicanCO19551957RepublicanNV19571959RepublicanIN19591963RepublicanCA19631969RepublicanCO19691973RepublicanAZ19731977RepublicanWY19771979RepublicanOR19791981DemocraticWA19811983DemocraticLA19831987RepublicanID19871991RepublicanWY19911995DemocraticLA19951997DemocraticAR19971999DemocraticNM19992001RepublicanAK20012003DemocraticNM20032007RepublicanNM20072009RepublicanAK20092015DemocraticWA20152019DemocraticWV20192021RepublicanWY20212025DemocraticNM2025present

Historical committee rosters 118th Congress

Majority (118th Congress)Minority (118th Congress)Joe Manchin, West Virginia,Sens. Manchin, Sanders and King are independent, but caucus(ed) with Democrats. Chair Ron Wyden, Oregon Maria Cantwell, Washington Bernie Sanders, Vermont Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona (until October 17, 2023) John Hickenlooper, Colorado Alex Padilla, California (from October 17, 2023)John Barrasso, Wyoming, Ranking Member Jim Risch, Idaho Mike Lee, Utah Steve Daines, Montana Lisa Murkowski, Alaska John Hoeven, North Dakota Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Josh Hawley, Missouri

Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberEnergyBernie Sanders (I-VT)Josh Hawley (R-MO)National ParksAngus King (I-ME)Steve Daines (R-MT)Public Lands, Forests and MiningCatherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)Mike Lee (R-UT)Water and PowerRon Wyden (D-OR) Jim Risch (R-ID)

117th Congress

MajorityMinorityJoe Manchin, West Virginia, Chair Maria Cantwell, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, VermontSens. Sanders and King are independent, but caucus with Democrats. Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona John Hickenlooper, ColoradoJohn Barrasso, Wyoming, Ranking Member Jim Risch, Idaho Mike Lee, Utah Steve Daines, Montana Lisa Murkowski, Alaska John Hoeven, North Dakota James Lankford, Oklahoma Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Roger Marshall, Kansas

Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberEnergyMazie Hirono (D-HI)John Hoeven (R-ND)National ParksAngus King (I-ME)Steve Daines (R-MT)Public Lands, Forests and MiningCatherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)Mike Lee (R-UT)Water and PowerRon Wyden (D-OR) Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)

116th Congress

MajorityMinorityLisa Murkowski, Alaska, Chair John Barrasso, Wyoming Jim Risch, Idaho Mike Lee, Utah Steve Daines, Montana Cory Gardner, Colorado Lamar Alexander, Tennessee John Hoeven, North Dakota Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Martha McSally, Arizona (until December 2, 2020)Joe Manchin, West Virginia, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, VermontSens. Sanders and King are independent, but caucus with Democrats. Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada

Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberEnergyBill Cassidy (R-LA)Martin Heinrich (D-NM)National ParksSteve Daines (R-MT)Angus King (I-ME)Public Lands, Forests and MiningMike Lee (R-UT)Ron Wyden (D-OR)Water and PowerMartha McSally (R-AZ) (until December 2, 2020)Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

115th Congress MajorityMinorityLisa Murkowski, Alaska, Chair John Barrasso, Wyoming Jim Risch, Idaho Mike Lee, Utah Steve Daines, Montana Cory Gardner, Colorado Lamar Alexander, Tennessee John Hoeven, North Dakota Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Rob Portman, Ohio Shelley Moore Capito, West VirginiaMaria Cantwell, Washington, Ranking Member Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, VermontSens. Sanders and King are independent, but caucus with Democrats. Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Al Franken, Minnesota (until January 2, 2018) Joe Manchin, West Virginia Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada Tina Smith, Minnesota (from January 9, 2018)

Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberEnergyCory Gardner (R-CO)Joe Manchin (D-WV)National ParksSteve Daines (R-MT)Mazie Hirono (D-HI)Public Lands, Forests and MiningMike Lee (R-UT)Ron Wyden (D-OR)Water and PowerJeff Flake (R-AZ)Angus King (I-ME)

Source

See also List of United States Senate committees United States House Committee on Public Lands, predecessor of the United States House Committee on Resources

References

External links Official Committee Website (Archive) Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee – Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov