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H.R. 2157House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

OCEAN Act

Sponsored by Dave BratRep. Dave Brat (R-VA)
Introduced April 26, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 2:54 PM UTC

The OCEAN Act amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to curb the President’s ability to block offshore oil and gas leasing. It says unleased offshore lands can only be withdrawn by law, not by presidential rule, except for areas within national marine sanctuaries. It also stops the President from creating new ocean‑water or seabed national monuments, while leaving already‑established monuments in place.

Key Provisions

  • Withdrawals of unleased offshore lands for oil and gas can only occur through a statute; the President may withdraw only lands that are part of a national marine sanctuary.
  • Any existing withdrawals made before the law (except those in sanctuaries or certain monuments) are nullified.
  • If the President suspends leasing operations, the suspension can last no more than 90 days and may be renewed for additional 90‑day periods.
  • The President is barred from declaring new ocean waters or seabed areas as national monuments; existing monuments remain unaffected.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

May 2, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 26, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

April 26, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee

May 2, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

May 2, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 26, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2157

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 26, 2017

Mr. Brat (for himself, Mr. Meadows, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Jody B. Hice of Georgia, Mr. McClintock, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Olson, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Loudermilk, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Biggs, Mr. Labrador, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Wittman, and Mr. Babin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to limit the authority of the President to withdraw areas from oil and gas leasing, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Outer Continental Shelf Energy Access Now Act or the OCEAN Act .

2.

Limitation of authority of the President to withdraw areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing

(a)

Withdrawals

(1)

Limitation

Section 12 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1341) is amended—

(A)

by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

(a)

Limitation on withdrawals

(1)

In general

Except as otherwise provided in this section, no unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf may be withdrawn from disposition except by statute.

(2)

National marine sanctuaries

The President may withdraw from disposition any of the unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf located in a national marine sanctuary designated in accordance with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) or by statute, by issuance of a rule in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United State Code.

; and

(B)

in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: Any suspension of operations under this subsection shall be for a period of not more than 90 days, and may be renewed one or more times for an additional period of not more than 90 days..

(2)

Existing withdrawals

Any withdrawal before the date of the enactment of this Act under section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1341), other than a withdrawal of an area in a national marine sanctuary established in accordance with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) or in a national monument declared under the Act of June 8, 1906 (ch. 3060; 34 Stat. 225), or chapter 3203 of title 54, United States Code, shall have no force or effect.

(b)

Termination of authority To establish marine national monuments

(1)

Termination of authority

Section 320301 of title 54, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Limitation on marine areas

Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the President may not declare or reserve any ocean waters (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1402)) or lands beneath ocean waters as a national monument.

.

(2)

Existing monuments not affected

Nothing in this subsection affects any national monument declared before the date of the enactment of this Act.