[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 81 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR REORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE SKEEN

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 19, 1998

  Mr. SKEEN. Mr. Speaker, last month I introduced legislation to 
reorganize the United States Forest Service in an attempt to bring 
reform to that troubled federal agency. Today, I introduce legislation 
to further the goal of streamlining government and save additional 
money for the taxpayers of this nation, without decreasing services.
  Continuing what Congress began in 1995, my legislation would dissolve 
the Department of Interior's (DOI) Minerals Management Service (MMS) 
and transfer the two major functions to other locations in DOI. By this 
transfer, the Department would realize significant savings by 
elimination of the administrative support component of the current MMS.
  Under this legislation, the Minerals Management component of MMS 
would be transferred to the Bureau of Land Management. The Royalty 
Management component would be transferred to the office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget. Day to day 
operations of these two divisions would go on, almost totally 
undisturbed by this legislation.
  I would point out that the MMS was established in 1982, following an 
internal reorganization of the Department of Interior. Expectations for 
the new federal agency were high. The MMS took components that were 
formerly located elsewhere in the Department and placed them under one 
roof, headed by a director appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. 
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing program was 
expected to be the real centerpiece of this new agency. Leasing 
activities were to be expanded from small areas in California, the Gulf 
of Mexico and in Alaska to large areas off the entire East and West 
Coasts as well as the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Industry interest was 
extremely high and energy self sufficiency was just around the corner.
  However, something happened along the way and public support for this 
effort never materialized. In fact, in spite of an outstanding safety 
and environmental record, widespread and rabid opposition to expansion 
of the program developed and continues today. Therefore, the grand 
plans of 1982 never materialized. In fact, just last week, President 
Clinton called for extending the current Congressional moratorium on 
oil and gas activities in these new areas for another 10 years. For all 
practical purposes, the OCS program today remains active in the Gulf of 
Mexico and in Alaska waters. The program remains a vital component of 
our energy supply. This is especially true for natural gas.
  In terms of the royalty management program, the lack of expansion of 
federal oil and gas leasing and production, coupled with technological 
advances, have diminished the need for widespread expansion of this 
component of the MMS. With Congressional interest in new Royalty-in-
Kind proposals, MMS royalty management could well downsize even 
further.
  The American taxpayers, who in essence are government's stockholders, 
are demanding a leaner government. This legislation is a step towards 
that goal. We cannot wait for this Administration to do the right 
thing. It is time for Congress to act.

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