United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. congressional committee 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:

1. Coal production, distribution, and utilization;
2. Energy policy;
3. Energy regulation and conservation;
4. Energy related aspects of deepwater ports;
5. Energy research and development;
6. Extraction of minerals from oceans and Outer Continental Shelf lands;
7. Hydroelectric power, irrigation, and reclamation;
8. Mining education and research;
9. Mining, mineral lands, mining claims, and mineral conservation;
10. 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;
11. National Petroleum Reserve;
12. Nonmilitary development of nuclear energy;
13. Oil and gas production and distribution;
14. Public lands and forests, including farming and grazing thereon, and mineral extraction therefrom;
15. Solar energy systems; and,
16. 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	Minority
style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | 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 Dakota	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Martin 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

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Energy	Dave McCormick (R-PA)	Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
National Parks	Steve Daines (R-MT)	Angus King (I-ME)
Public Lands, Forests and Mining	John Barrasso (R-WY)	Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Water and Power	John Hoeven (R-ND)	Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Chairs

Committee on Public Lands, 1816–1921

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Democratic-Republican	OH	1816	1819
	Democratic-Republican	MS	1819	1820
	Democratic-Republican	IL	1819	1823
	Democratic-Republican (1823–1825)	MO	1823	1831
	National Republican (1825–1831)
	Jacksonian	AL	1831	1832
	Jacksonian	IL	1832	1833
	Whig	MS	1833	1835
	Whig	OH	1835	1836
	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |Jacksonian (1836–1837)	MS	1836	1841
	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic (1837–1841)
	Whig	IN	1841	1843
	Whig	MI	1843	1845
	Democratic	IL	1845	1849
	Democratic	MI	1849	1853
	Democratic	AR	1853
	Democratic	IA	1853	1855
	Democratic	MI	1855	1859
	Democratic	AR	1859	1861
	Republican	IA	1861	1865
	Republican	KS	1865	1873
	Republican	RI	1873	1875
	Republican	IL	1875	1879
	Republican	IN	1879	1881
	Republican	KS	1881	1891
	Republican	OR	1891	1893
	Democratic	AR	1893	1895
	Republican	ID	1895	1897
	Republican	ND	1897	1908
	Republican	MN	1908	1912
	Republican	UT	1912	1913
	Democratic	OR	1913	1915
	Democratic	MT	1915	1919
	Republican	UT	1919	1921

Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, 1921–1947

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	UT	1921	1923
	Republican	WI	1923	1924
	Republican	ND	1924
	Republican	OR	1924	1927
	Republican	ND	1927	1933
	Democratic	WY	1933
	Democratic	NY	1933	1937
	Democratic	CO	1937	1941
	Democratic	NM	1941	1947

Committee on Public Lands, 1947–1948

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	NE	1947	1948

Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, 1948–1977

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	NE	1948	1949
	Democratic	WY	1949	1953
	Republican	NE	1953	1954
	Republican	OR	1954	1955
	Democratic	MT	1955	1961
	Democratic	NM	1961	1963
	Democratic	WA	1963	1977

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 1977–present

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Democratic	WA	1977	1981
	Republican	ID	1981	1987
	Democratic	LA	1987	1995
	Republican	AK	1995	2001
	Democratic	NM	2001
	Republican	AK	2001
	Democratic	NM	2001	2003
	Republican	NM	2003	2007
	Democratic	NM	2007	2013
	Democratic	OR	2013	2014
	Democratic	LA	2014	2015
	Republican	AK	2015	2021
	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic (2021–2024)	WV	2021	2025
	Independent Democrat (2024–2025)
	Republican	UT	2025	present

Ranking members

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Democratic	NM	1947	1949
	Republican	NE	1949	1953
	Democratic	MT	1953	1955
	Republican	CO	1955	1957
	Republican	NV	1957	1959
	Republican	IN	1959	1963
	Republican	CA	1963	1969
	Republican	CO	1969	1973
	Republican	AZ	1973	1977
	Republican	WY	1977	1979
	Republican	OR	1979	1981
	Democratic	WA	1981	1983
	Democratic	LA	1983	1987
	Republican	ID	1987	1991
	Republican	WY	1991	1995
	Democratic	LA	1995	1997
	Democratic	AR	1997	1999
	Democratic	NM	1999	2001
	Republican	AK	2001	2003
	Democratic	NM	2003	2007
	Republican	NM	2007	2009
	Republican	AK	2009	2015
	Democratic	WA	2015	2019
	Democratic	WA	2019	2021
	Republican	AK	2021	2025
	Democratic	NM	2025	present

Historical committee rosters

118th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Joe Manchin, West Virginia, 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)

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | 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

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Energy	Bernie Sanders (I-VT)	Josh Hawley (R-MO)
National Parks	Angus King (I-ME)	Steve Daines (R-MT)
Public Lands, Forests and Mining	Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)	Mike Lee (R-UT)
Water and Power	Ron Wyden (D-OR)	Jim Risch (R-ID)

117th Congress

Majority	Minority
style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Joe Manchin, West Virginia, Chair Maria Cantwell, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, Vermont Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona John Hickenlooper, Colorado	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | John 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

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Energy	Mazie Hirono (D-HI)	John Hoeven (R-ND)
National Parks	Angus King (I-ME)	Steve Daines (R-MT)
Public Lands, Forests and Mining	Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)	Mike Lee (R-UT)
Water and Power	Ron Wyden (D-OR)	Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)

116th Congress

Majority	Minority
style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Lisa 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)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Joe Manchin, West Virginia, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, Vermont Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Angus King, Maine Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Energy	Bill Cassidy (R-LA)	Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
National Parks	Steve Daines (R-MT)	Angus King (I-ME)
Public Lands, Forests and Mining	Mike Lee (R-UT)	Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Water and Power	Martha McSally (R-AZ) (until December 2, 2020)	Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

115th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Lisa 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 Virginia

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Maria Cantwell, Washington, Ranking Member Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, Vermont 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

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Energy	Cory Gardner (R-CO)	Joe Manchin (D-WV)
National Parks	Steve Daines (R-MT)	Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Public Lands, Forests and Mining	Mike Lee (R-UT)	Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Water and Power	Jeff 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

External links

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