[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1639-E1640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONSOLIDATED LAND, ENERGY, AND AQUATIC RESOURCES ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 30, 2010

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3534) to 
     provide greater efficiencies, transparency, returns, and 
     accountability in the administration of Federal mineral and 
     energy resources by consolidating administration of various 
     Federal energy minerals management and leasing programs into 
     one entity to be known as the Office of Federal Energy and 
     Minerals Leasing of the Department of the Interior, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chair, I submit an exchange of letters between the 
Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Ways and Means 
concerning H.R. 3534.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Ways and Means,

                               Washington, DC, September 13, 2010.
     Hon. Nick J. Rahall II,
     Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Nick Rahall: I am writing to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Ways and Means in 
     your amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 3534, 
     the ``Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act of 
     2010.''
       Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
     provides that the Committee on Ways and Means has 
     jurisdiction over ``revenue measures generally.'' Section 802 
     of H.R. 3534, as amended, raises revenue by imposing a fee of 
     $2 per barrel of oil and 20 cents per million BTU of natural 
     gas produced on Federal onshore and offshore lands. As a 
     result, Section 802 of H.R. 3534, as amended, is within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means.
       I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this 
     legislation before the House in an expeditious manner and, 
     accordingly, I will not seek a sequential referral of H.R 
     3534, as amended. However, I agree to waive consideration of 
     this bill with the understanding that this does not in any 
     way prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means and its 
     jurisdictional prerogatives on H.R. 3534 or similar 
     legislation.
       Further, the Ways and Means Committee reserves the right to 
     seek the appointment of conferees during any House-Senate 
     conference convened on this legislation on provisions of the 
     bill that are within the Committee's jurisdiction. I ask for 
     your commitment to support any request by the Committee on 
     Ways and Means for the appointment of conferees on H.R. 3534 
     or similar legislation. I also ask that a copy of this letter 
     and your response be included in the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of this bill by the House.

[[Page E1640]]

       Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Sander M. Levin,
                                                         Chairman.
                                  ____
                                  
                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Natural Resources,

                               Washington, DC, September 15, 2010.
     Hon. Sander M. Levin,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter indicating the 
     Committee on Ways and Means' jurisdictional interests in 
     certain provisions of the amendment in the nature of a 
     substitute to H.R. 3534, the Consolidated Land, Energy, and 
     Aquatic Resources Act of 2010.
       I acknowledge your jurisdictional interests in the bill. I 
     appreciate your willingness to forego seeking a sequential 
     referral of the legislation and understand that this action 
     will in no way waive your Committee's jurisdictional 
     interests or serve as a precedent for future referrals. I 
     also understand that you reserve the right to seek to have 
     conferees named from the Committee on Ways and Means on these 
     provisions, and would support such a request if it were made.
       A copy of our respective letters regarding H.R. 3534 will 
     be entered into the Congressional Record.
       Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have 
     worked regarding this matter and others between our 
     respective committees.
       With warm regards, I am
           Sincerely,
                                                Nick J. Rahall II,
     Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.

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