[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5481 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5481

 To give subpoena power to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater 
                Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 2010

Mrs. Capps (for herself, Mr. Markey of Massachusetts, Mr. George Miller 
of California, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. McCollum, 
  Mr. Deutch, Ms. Berkley, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Speier, Mr. 
    Michaud, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Hirono, and Ms. Sutton) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
  Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and 
   Infrastructure and the Judiciary, 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 give subpoena power to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater 
                Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.

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

SECTION 1. SUBPOENA POWER OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE BP 
              DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL AND OFFSHORE DRILLING.

    (a) Subpoena Power.--The National Commission on the BP Deepwater 
Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling established by Executive Order 
No. 13543 of May 21, 2010 (in this section referred to as the 
``Commission''), may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance and 
testimony of witnesses and the production of books, records, 
correspondence, memoranda, and other documents.
    (b) Issuance.--
            (1) Authorization.--A subpoena may be issued under this 
        section only--
                    (A) by agreement of the Co-Chairs of the 
                Commission; or
                    (B) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the 
                members of the Commission.
            (2) Signature and service.--A subpoena issued under this 
        section may be issued under the signature of either Co-Chair or 
        any member designated by a majority of the Commission, and may 
        be served by any person designated by the Co-Chairs or a member 
        designated by a majority of the Commission.
    (c) Enforcement.--
            (1) Required procedures.--In the case of contumacy of any 
        person issued a subpoena under this section or refusal by such 
        person to comply with the subpoena, the Commission shall 
        request the Attorney General to seek enforcement of the 
        subpoena. Upon such request, the Attorney General shall seek 
        enforcement of the subpoena in a court described in paragraph 
        (2). The court in which the Attorney General seeks enforcement 
        of the subpoena shall issue an order requiring the subpoenaed 
        person to appear at any designated place to testify or to 
        produce documentary or other evidence, and may punish any 
        failure to obey the order as a contempt of that court.
            (2) Jurisdiction for enforcement.--Any United States 
        district court for a judicial district in which a person issued 
        a subpoena under this section resides, is served, or may be 
        found, or where the subpoena is returnable, shall have 
        jurisdiction to enforce the subpoena as provided in paragraph 
        (1).
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