[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SODA ASH ROYALTY REDUCTION ACT OF 2005

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 203) to designate the 
United States courthouse located at 501 I Street in Sacramento, 
California, as the ``Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse''.

                                 S. 203

       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 ``Soda Ash Royalty Reduction 
     Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. REDUCTION IN ROYALTY RATE ON SODA ASH.

       Notwithstanding section 102(a)(9) of the Federal Land 
     Policy Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701(a)(9)), section 
     24 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 262), and the terms 
     of any lease under that Act, the royalty rate on the quantity 
     or gross value of the output of sodium compounds and related 
     products at the point of shipment to market from Federal land 
     in the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment 
     of this Act shall be 2 percent.

     SEC. 3. STUDY.

       After the end of the 4-year period beginning on the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and before the end of the 5-year 
     period beginning on that date, the Secretary of the Interior 
     shall report to the Congress on the effects of the royalty 
     reduction under this Act, including--
       (1) the amount of sodium compounds and related products at 
     the point of shipment to market from Federal land during that 
     4-year period;
       (2) the number of jobs that have been created or maintained 
     during the royalty reduction period;
       (3) the total amount of royalty paid to the United States 
     on the quantity or gross value of the output of sodium 
     compounds and related products at the point of shipment to 
     market produced during that 4-year period, and the portion of 
     such royalty paid to States; and
       (4) a recommendation of whether the reduced royalty rate 
     should apply after the end of the 5-year period beginning on 
     the date of the enactment of this Act.
  The amendment (No. 1584) was agreed to, as follows:

       Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to reduce 
     temporarily the royalty required to be paid for sodium 
     produced, to establish certain National Heritage Areas, and 
     for other purposes.''.

  The bill (S. 203) was read the third time and passed.

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