[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6735 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6735

     To terminate the application of restrictions on exploration, 
   development, and production of oil and gas in areas of the outer 
                  Continental Shelf adjacent to Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2008

  Mr. Hobson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To terminate the application of restrictions on exploration, 
   development, and production of oil and gas in areas of the outer 
                  Continental Shelf adjacent to Cuba.

    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 ``Bolster America's Resources through 
Responsible Exploratory Leasing Act'' or the ``BARREL Act''.

SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF PROHIBITIONS ON EXPENDITURES FOR, AND 
              WITHDRAWALS FROM, OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASING FOR AREAS 
              OF OCS ADJACENT TO CUBA.

    (a) Prohibitions on Expenditures.--All provisions of Federal law 
that prohibit the expenditure of appropriated funds to conduct oil and 
natural gas leasing and preleasing activities for any area of the Outer 
Continental Shelf of the United States shall have no force or effect 
with respect to any location on the Outer Continental Shelf in the 
Straits of Florida that is--
            (1) inside the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental 
        Shelf Planning Area or the Straits of Florida Outer Continental 
        Shelf Planning Area;
            (2) within 50 miles of the United State-Cuba marine 
        boundary;
            (3) west of 83\o\ W longitude;
            (4) east of 86\o\41' W longitude; and
            (5) outside of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
    (b) Revocation of Withdrawals.--All withdrawals of Federal 
submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf from leasing, including 
withdrawals by the President under the authority of section 12(a) of 
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1341(a)), are hereby 
revoked and are no longer in effect with respect to the leasing of any 
location on the Outer Continental Shelf described in subsection (a) for 
exploration for, and development and production of, oil and natural 
gas.
    (c) Termination of Restriction on Use of Funds.--Section 104 of 
division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 
110-161; 121 Stat. 2118) shall not apply with respect to any location 
on the Outer Continental Shelf described in subsection (a).
    (d) Commencement of Lease Sales.--The Secretary of the Interior 
shall promptly conduct lease sales for locations on the Outer 
Continental Shelf described in subsection (a) in accordance with 
section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337) and 
other applicable provisions of Federal law.
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