[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H4445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SPILLED OIL ROYALTY COLLECTION ACT

  (Ms. PINGREE of Maine asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, last week I introduced legislation 
to make sure that BP pays royalties on all of the oil from the 
Deepwater Horizon disaster. The Spilled Oil Royalty Collection Act, 
H.R. 5513, will ensure that BP pays royalties on every gallon of oil 
spilled without the administration having to determine whether BP was 
negligent or violating MMS regulations. Royalties on oil drilled at 
offshore locations are paid to the Minerals Management Service, MMS, in 
an effort to compensate taxpayers for the use of publicly owned 
resources. Under current regulations, leaseholders like BP are only 
obligated to pay royalties on gallons of oil sold. This legislation is 
part of responding to the disaster in the gulf and holding BP 
accountable.
  We need to clean up and repair the gulf, holding BP accountable for 
its oil spill, enact stronger environmental, technological and spill 
response standards, and invest in an American clean-energy future.
  BP CEO was on television saying that his company will ``make it 
right,'' but we should have more than just a television commercial to 
go on. We need the force of law to make sure they pay every penny they 
owe to us. I hope you will join me in supporting this important piece 
of legislation.

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