Sixteen House Democrats voted to help pass a bill that would ban the prohibition of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking.

House lawmakers on Friday voted 226 to 188 to pass the Protecting American Energy Production Act. The bill, sponsored by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), would prohibit the president from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing to help secure the production of oil and gas on state and private land.

Democrat lawmakers that supported the bill included Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Jose Luis Correa (D-CA), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Julie Johnson (D-TX), and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM).

The Trump administration has vowed to boost domestic oil production. Pfluger said that former President Joe Biden’s administration described hydraulic fracturing as a threat but that he viewed it as an essential tool for domestic energy. 

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“The Biden Administration has spent the last four years attacking the American energy industry, most recently attempting to shut it down by banning almost all new U.S. offshore drilling projects,” Pfluger said in a statement. 

“It will be up to Republicans and President Trump to reestablish American energy independence and dominance in the 119th Congress. This is why my first piece of legislation in the 119th Congress will protect the American energy industry and consumers from the federal government,” he said.