S. 1523: Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2019
Before you vote › Federal bills
S. 1523: Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2019
116th Congress · introduced 2019-05-16 · Energy · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2019-05-16 · official record
- Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2019
Plain summary
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2019 This bill addresses oil and gas leasing in Arctic areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The bill declares that it is the policy of the United States that the Arctic Ocean should be managed for the best interests of the people of the United States, including by keeping fossil fuels in the ground to avoid the dangerous impacts of climate change. The Department of the Interior is prohibited from issuing or extending a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in Arctic areas of the OCS.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2019
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text
No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.
Limited to a few requests an hour per person.
The strongest published arguments
Arguments for (supporters)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Arguments against (opponents)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Alternatives
Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 12 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Gary C. Peters (D-MI)
Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (2)
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s1523.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>
Record fed-us-cong116-s1523 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116