[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 962 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 962

 To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to make available for the low-income 
  home energy assistance program 5 percent of moneys received by the 
      United States from onshore Federal oil and gas development.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2001

Mrs. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Maloney of Connecticut, Mr. 
Honda, Mr. Bonior, Mr. Blagojevich, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Carson of Indiana, 
Mr. Serrano, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Baldacci, and Mrs. McCarthy of New York) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
   Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the 
  Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to make available for the low-income 
  home energy assistance program 5 percent of moneys received by the 
      United States from onshore Federal oil and gas development.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Low Income Energy Reinvestment 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) High energy costs are causing hardship for families.
            (2) Restructured energy markets have increased the need for 
        a higher and more consistent level of funding for low-income 
        energy assistance programs.
            (3) Higher heating oil and natural gas costs have resulted 
        in significant price increases for consumers.
            (4) Seniors, low-income individuals, and individuals living 
        on fixed incomes have been especially hurt by higher energy 
        costs.
            (5) High natural gas prices and unprecedented demand for 
        electricity is likely to keep electricity rates high across the 
        Nation. Summer cooling requirements will only exacerbate this 
        problem.
            (6) Conservation programs and low-income weatherization 
        programs reduce costs and the need for additional energy 
        supplies.
            (7) The Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program, 
        commonly referred to as ``LIHEAP'', will help consumers manage 
        increased costs and will also ensure key investments in 
        weatherization.
            (8) Royalty revenues from oil produced from Federal lands 
        should be devoted to help those suffering from the high costs 
        of restructured energy markets.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to provide additional 
assistance to those individuals most affected by high energy prices.

SEC. 3. AVAILABILITY OF ONSHORE FEDERAL OIL AND GAS REVENUES FOR LOW-
              INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Section 32(a) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 191(a)) is 
amended in the first sentence by--
            (1) striking ``paid into the Treasury of the United 
        States;'' and inserting ``deposited into the Treasury of the 
        United States. Of the amounts so deposited, 5 percent shall be 
        available to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for 
        carrying out the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 
        (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.),''; and
            (2) striking ``per centum'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``percent''.
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