President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers major victories to rural America and the West. As the Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, featuring 95 U.S. representatives, and the Chair of the Senate Western Caucus, featuring 29 senators west of the Mississippi, we understand that a stronger West means a stronger America. One Big Beautiful Bill is a giant step toward strengthening our country’s energy and food security and unleashing prosperity.
Over the last four years, the Biden administration waged war on the American West. By locking up lands and waters rich in energy and mineral resources as a handout to radical environmentalists, President Joe Biden weakened local economies across rural America. Fortunately, Trump, alongside House and Senate Republicans, understood the concerns of those who were most affected by these policies and crafted legislation to undo the damage.
This reconciliation package, signed by the president on July 4, unleashes domestic production of affordable and reliable energy sources. One Big Beautiful Bill expands onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing and increases offshore drilling revenue sharing in Gulf of America states, where 5.77 billion barrels of oil and 7.15 trillion cubic feet of gas remain in reserve.
Alaska, containing vast reserves of oil, gas and minerals, is a major winner in the bill, with six lease sales over the next 10 years mandated in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and enhanced revenue sharing from Cook Inlet leases. These provisions will create good-paying jobs in resource rich rural economies around the country, and increases in revenue sharing will fund priorities, such as education, in rural settlements. Taken together, these policies will also lower gas prices and electricity costs for American families.
There are also major wins for land management and conservation efforts to combat the wildfire crisis, a priority of the Western Caucus. In 2024, almost 65,000 fires burned 8,924,884 acres across the United States. As peak wildfire season continues this year, One Big Beautiful Bill expands timber sales on public lands. Responsible timber harvests produce multiple benefits by removing hazardous fuels which would otherwise fuel hotter and more dangerous wildfires that burn out-of-control. Combined with improved forest management policies, rural towns near our public forests will be safer and more economically prosperous.
This legislation also strengthens American agriculture, putting our farmers and ranchers first by shoring up the farm safety net. Across the West, predators such as the gray wolf have stalked livestock, leading to needless losses for ranchers until we get a delisting of the wolf. One Big Beautiful Bill contains reimbursement programs for livestock lost to these attacks.
Additionally, the bill boosts the Livestock Forage Disaster Assistance program to aid farmers affected by grazing losses due to disasters such as wildfires or droughts and increases biosecurity measures.
Certain tax provisions also relieve burdens on the agricultural economy, in addition to individuals. Importantly, estate tax exemptions are permanently increased, easing the burden and removing uncertainty for family farms as they transfer from one generation to the next. An extension of immediate expensing allows deductions on critical equipment and infrastructure for farmers and ranchers.
After four years of policy failures from the Biden administration, One Big Beautiful Bill delivers much needed relief to rural economies across the West. The Western Caucus has been proud to assist in passing this America First agenda. Now it’s time to see the results across the West.
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