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Legislation News & Report (TM) The Week in Congress .com (TM) "A Democracy is Only A Democracy When You Participate" May 13, 2011 Edition Volume 8 Number 13 |
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Bills and Resolutions This Week +++ U.S. & The World Post-Earthquake Status of Haiti Requested; ---- Managing America +++ Appropriations & Authorization Bills --- Banking & Finance Nothing This Week --- Budgets Nothing This Week --- The Courts Nothing This Week ----- Education Nothing This Week ---- Energy Bill Smoothes Expired Oil Drilling Permit Renewal Process; ---- Bill Removes 'Moratorium' on offshore drilling; ---- Environment and Resources Nothing This Week ----- Government Agencies Nothing This Week ---- Health & Safety Nothing This Week ---- Immigration Nothing This Week ---- Military Nothing This Week ------ Miscellaneous Nothing This Week ---- Native American Matters Nothing This Week ---- Private Relief Nothing This Week --- Privileged Resolutions ------ Public Land Nothing This Week ---- Taxes Nothing This Week ---- Transportation Nothing This Week ----- Veterans Nothing This Week --- War on Terror Nothing This Week Nothing This Week ---- Civil Rights Nothing This Week --- Nothing This Week ---- The President Nothing This Week ----
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HOUSE TARGETS OFF-SHORE DRILLING REVISIONS
TheWeekInCongress.com - May 12, 2011 - The House completed work on HR 1229, a bill requiring any lessee operating under an approved plan of energy exploration to obtain a permit before drilling in accordance with the plan.
The lessee must obtain a new permit before drilling any well of a design that is significantly different than the design for which an existing permit was issued. The Secretary also may not issue a permit without ensuring that the proposed drilling meet all critical safety system requirements (including blowout prevention) and oil spill response and containment requirements.
The bill was agreed to 263 - 163.
The rule governing debate allows that upon passage of HR 1229 the text of previously-passed HR 1230 will be merged into the bill. Opposition to both bills point to the cost of HR 1229 that would reduce offsetting receipts by $10 million and increase direct spending by $6 million over 5 years. HR 1230 promises to reduce spending by $24 million over 5 years. Combining the two bills, they hold, masks the spending increases in HR 1229 with the reductions in HR 1230.
HR 1230 claims its purpose as restoring tax revenues lost due to restrictions on oil and gas leasing in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill by expediting the permitting process for four leases in the Gulf and off the coast of Virginia.
The bill report explains, "in 2010 the Secretary of the Interior delayed the Virginia lease sale until 2012 and then later announced that no areas off the Atlantic Coast would be available for leasing and energy development in the next five-year plan (2012-2017). In 2010, the Secretary of the Interior also canceled or delayed two scheduled Gulf of Mexico lease sales from 2011 until 2012.
"H.R. 1230, the report continues, "will reverse the Administration's delays by validating the existing completed Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), prepared for these lease sales under the National Environmental Policy Act, and ensuring these lease sales move forward in a prompt, timely and safe manner. H.R. 1230 expands American energy production, creates jobs and generates revenue for taxpayers."
The opposition view holds that, "...the legislation is belated given that the Obama Administration restarted offshore drilling in February and has already announced plans to offer all three Gulf of Mexico lease sales mandated in the bill later this year or early next year. As a result, H.R. 1230 `restarts' nothing, but would mandate that the lease sales go forward within unreasonable time limits and without proper environmental review."
HR 1230 passed the House 266 to 149.
The House also took under consideration HR 1231, a bill that reverses the President's moratorium on offshore drilling. The bill looks to five-year leasing plans (including lease sales) and the establishment of an energy production goal for those plans.
The bill centers on the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that required a new oil and natural gas leasing program for the outer continental shelf (OCS) every five years. The bill report explains that the OCS has been divided into 26 planning areas—11 along the lower 48 states, and 15 along Alaska. Only those planned areas can be leased for oil and natural gas development.
Opposition to the bill holds that "No moratorium, de facto or otherwise, exists" therefore the bill is pointless. "...there is currently no moratorium on offshore drilling. Since October, the Administration has approved 39 shallow-water permits. In February, for the first time, drilling companies demonstrated a capability to respond to a deep-water spill that could establish the new safety standards put in place by the Interior Department; the Department began issuing deep-water permits. Since that time, 10 new deepwater permits have been issued. "
The Minority motion to recommit the bill required that oil produced from the leases be sold in the US. The amendment was defeated 243 to 179.
HR 1229 Bill report amendments and votes with dissenting views.
HR 1231 Bill report amendments and votes with dissenting views.
MONTHLY BUDGET REVIEW
CBO reports a deficit larger than the one this time last year reversing a trend to the opposite.
The increase is due in part to "...receipts from individual income and payroll taxes combined were $9 billion (or 7 percent) less than those last March." and because "Legislation enacted in December 2010 lowered Social Security taxes paid by individuals this year; and compared with March of last year, March 2011 had one fewer Monday, which is generally the day with the largest volume of withheld payments."
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Bill authorizes funds and programs for the Intelligence Community.
Intel Auth
The bill was brought forth to fund the 13 intelligence agencies through September 30, 2011, the remainder of FY 2011.
HR 754 report
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