[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7819-H7854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AMERICAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR LOWER COSTS AND MORE AMERICAN JOBS ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 
727, I call up the bill (H.R. 2) to remove Federal Government obstacles 
to the production of more domestic energy; to ensure transport of that 
energy reliably to businesses, consumers, and other end users; to lower 
the cost of energy to consumers; to enable manufacturers and other 
businesses to access domestically produced energy affordably and 
reliably in order to create and sustain more secure and well-paying 
American jobs; and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate 
consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 727, the bill 
is considered read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 H.R. 2

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``American 
     Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs 
     Act''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                    DIVISION A--ENERGY AND COMMERCE

                  TITLE I--MODERNIZING INFRASTRUCTURE

                  Subtitle A--Northern Route Approval

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Keystone XL permit approval.
Sec. 104. Judicial review.
Sec. 105. American burying beetle.
Sec. 106. Right-of-way and temporary use permit.
Sec. 107. Permits for activities in navigable waters.
Sec. 108. Migratory Bird Treaty Act permit.
Sec. 109. Oil spill response plan disclosure.

           Subtitle B--Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform

Sec. 121. Short title.
Sec. 122. Regulatory approval of natural gas pipeline projects.

            Subtitle C--North American Energy Infrastructure

Sec. 131. Short title.
Sec. 132. Finding.
Sec. 133. Authorization of certain energy infrastructure projects at 
              the national boundary of the United States.
Sec. 134. Importation or exportation of natural gas to Canada and 
              Mexico.
Sec. 135. Transmission of electric energy to Canada and Mexico.
Sec. 136. No Presidential permit required.
Sec. 137. Modifications to existing projects.
Sec. 138. Effective date; rulemaking deadlines.
Sec. 139. Definitions.

 TITLE II--MAINTAINING DIVERSE ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND AFFORDABILITY

                  Subtitle A--Energy Consumers Relief

Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Prohibition against finalizing certain energy-related rules 
              that will cause significant adverse effects to the 
              economy.
Sec. 203. Reports and determinations prior to promulgating as final 
              certain energy-related rules.
Sec. 204. Definitions.
Sec. 205. Prohibition on use of social cost of carbon in analysis.

           Subtitle B--Electricity Security and Affordability

Sec. 211. Short title.
Sec. 212. Standards of performance for new fossil fuel-fired electric 
              utility generating units.
Sec. 213. Congress To set effective date for standards of performance 
              for existing, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-
              fired electric utility generating units.
Sec. 214. Repeal of earlier rules and guidelines.
Sec. 215. Definitions.

 Subtitle C--Report on Energy and Water Savings Potential From Thermal 
                               Insulation

Sec. 221. Report on energy and water savings potential from thermal 
              insulation.

                 TITLE III--UNLEASHING ENERGY DIPLOMACY

Sec. 301. Short title.
Sec. 302. Action on applications.
Sec. 303. Public disclosure of export destinations.

                DIVISION B--NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Sec. 201. References.

 Subdivision A--Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works 
                              Act of 2014

Sec. 1. Short title.

                   TITLE I--OFFSHORE ENERGY AND JOBS

      Subtitle A--Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program Reforms

Sec. 10101. Outer Continental Shelf leasing program reforms.
Sec. 10102. Domestic oil and natural gas production goal.
Sec. 10103. Development and submittal of new 5-year oil and gas leasing 
              program.
Sec. 10104. Rule of construction.
Sec. 10105. Addition of lease sales after finalization of 5-year plan.

      Subtitle B--Directing the President To Conduct New OCS Sales

Sec. 10201. Requirement to conduct proposed oil and gas Lease Sale 220 
              on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Virginia.
Sec. 10202. South Carolina lease sale.
Sec. 10203. Southern California existing infrastructure lease sale.
Sec. 10204. Environmental impact statement requirement.
Sec. 10205. National defense.
Sec. 10206. Eastern Gulf of Mexico not included.

   Subtitle C--Equitable Sharing of Outer Continental Shelf Revenues

Sec. 10301. Disposition of Outer Continental Shelf revenues to coastal 
              States.

   Subtitle D--Reorganization of Minerals Management Agencies of the 
                       Department of the Interior

Sec. 10401. Establishment of Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and 
              Minerals and Assistant Secretary of Ocean Energy and 
              Safety.
Sec. 10402. Bureau of Ocean Energy.
Sec. 10403. Ocean Energy Safety Service.
Sec. 10404. Office of Natural Resources revenue.
Sec. 10405. Ethics and drug testing.
Sec. 10406. Abolishment of Minerals Management Service.
Sec. 10407. Conforming amendments to Executive Schedule pay rates.
Sec. 10408. Outer Continental Shelf Energy Safety Advisory Board.
Sec. 10409. Outer Continental Shelf inspection fees.
Sec. 10410. Prohibition on action based on National Ocean Policy 
              developed under Executive Order No. 13547.

                 Subtitle E--United States Territories

Sec. 10501. Application of Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act with 
              respect to territories of the United States.

                  Subtitle F--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 10601. Rules regarding distribution of revenues under Gulf of 
              Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.
Sec. 10602. Amount of distributed qualified outer Continental Shelf 
              revenues.
Sec. 10603. South Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area 
              defined.
Sec. 10604. Enhancing geological and geophysical information for 
              America's energy future.

                      Subtitle G--Judicial Review

Sec. 10701. Time for filing complaint.
Sec. 10702. District court deadline.
Sec. 10703. Ability to seek appellate review.
Sec. 10704. Limitation on scope of review and relief.
Sec. 10705. Legal fees.
Sec. 10706. Exclusion.
Sec. 10707. Definitions.

          TITLE II--ONSHORE FEDERAL LANDS AND ENERGY SECURITY

           Subtitle A--Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security

Sec. 21001. Short title.
Sec. 21002. Policies regarding buying, building, and working for 
              America.

           Chapter 1--Onshore Oil and Gas Permit Streamlining

Sec. 21101. Short title.

     subchapter a--application for permits to drill process reform

Sec. 21111. Permit to drill application timeline.

       subchapter b--administrative protest documentation reform

Sec. 21121. Administrative protest documentation reform.

                   subchapter c--permit streamlining

Sec. 21131. Making pilot offices permanent to improve energy permitting 
              on Federal lands.
Sec. 21132. Administration of current law.

[[Page H7820]]

                     subchapter d--judicial review

Sec. 21141. Definitions.
Sec. 21142. Exclusive venue for certain civil actions relating to 
              covered energy projects.
Sec. 21143. Timely filing.
Sec. 21144. Expedition in hearing and determining the action.
Sec. 21145. Standard of review.
Sec. 21146. Limitation on injunction and prospective relief.
Sec. 21147. Limitation on attorneys' fees.
Sec. 21148. Legal standing.

         subchapter e--knowing america's oil and gas resources

Sec. 21151. Funding oil and gas resource assessments.

                Chapter 2--Oil and Gas Leasing Certainty

Sec. 21201. Short title.
Sec. 21202. Minimum acreage requirement for onshore lease sales.
Sec. 21203. Leasing certainty.
Sec. 21204. Leasing consistency.
Sec. 21205. Reduce redundant policies.
Sec. 21206. Streamlined congressional notification.

                          Chapter 3--Oil Shale

Sec. 21301. Short title.
Sec. 21302. Effectiveness of oil shale regulations, amendments to 
              resource management plans, and record of decision.
Sec. 21303. Oil shale leasing.

                  Chapter 4--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 21401. Rule of construction.

                Subtitle B--Planning for American Energy

Sec. 22001. Short title.
Sec. 22002. Onshore domestic energy production strategic plan.

        Subtitle C--National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Access

Sec. 23001. Short title.
Sec. 23002. Sense of Congress and reaffirming national policy for the 
              National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
Sec. 23003. National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska: lease sales.
Sec. 23004. National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska: planning and 
              permitting pipeline and road construction.
Sec. 23005. Issuance of a new integrated activity plan and 
              environmental impact statement.
Sec. 23006. Departmental accountability for development.
Sec. 23007. Deadlines under new proposed integrated activity plan.
Sec. 23008. Updated resource assessment.

                 Subtitle D--BLM Live Internet Auctions

Sec. 24001. Short title.
Sec. 24002. Internet-based onshore oil and gas lease sales.

                   Subtitle E--Native American Energy

Sec. 25001. Short title.
Sec. 25002. Appraisals.
Sec. 25003. Standardization.
Sec. 25004. Environmental reviews of major Federal actions on Indian 
              lands.
Sec. 25005. Judicial review.
Sec. 25006. Tribal biomass demonstration project.
Sec. 25007. Tribal resource management plans.
Sec. 25008. Leases of restricted lands for the Navajo Nation.
Sec. 25009. Nonapplicability of certain rules.

                  TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 30101. Establishment of Office of Energy Employment and Training.

  Subdivision B--Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development 
                          Equity and Jobs Act

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Amendment.

       Subdivision C--Central Oregon Jobs and Water Security Act

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Wild and Scenic River; Crooked, Oregon.
Sec. 3. City of Prineville Water Supply.
Sec. 4. First fill protection.
Sec. 5. Ochoco Irrigation District.

Subdivision D--State Authority For Hydraulic Fracturing Regulation; EPA 
                     Hydraulic Fracturing Research

      TITLE I--STATE AUTHORITY FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING REGULATION

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. State authority for hydraulic fracturing regulation.
Sec. 103. Government Accountability Office study.
Sec. 104. Tribal authority on trust land.

              TITLE II--EPA HYDRAULIC FRACTURING RESEARCH

Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Epa hydraulic fracturing research.

                  TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Review of State activities.

 Subdivision E--Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining 
                            Jobs in America

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Incorporation of surface mining stream buffer zone rule into 
              State programs.

                         DIVISION C--JUDICIARY

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Coordination of agency administrative operations for efficient 
              decisionmaking.

                    DIVISION A--ENERGY AND COMMERCE

                  TITLE I--MODERNIZING INFRASTRUCTURE

                  Subtitle A--Northern Route Approval

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Northern Route Approval 
     Act''.

     SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) To maintain our Nation's competitive edge and ensure an 
     economy built to last, the United States must have fast, 
     reliable, resilient, and environmentally sound means of 
     moving energy. In a global economy, we will compete for the 
     world's investments based in significant part on the quality 
     of our infrastructure. Investing in the Nation's 
     infrastructure provides immediate and long-term economic 
     benefits for local communities and the Nation as a whole.
       (2) The delivery of oil from Canada, a close ally not only 
     in proximity but in shared values and ideals, to domestic 
     markets is in the national interest because of the need to 
     lessen dependence upon insecure foreign sources.
       (3) The Keystone XL pipeline would provide both short-term 
     and long-term employment opportunities and related labor 
     income benefits, such as government revenues associated with 
     taxes.
       (4) The State of Nebraska has thoroughly reviewed and 
     approved the proposed Keystone XL pipeline reroute, 
     concluding that the concerns of Nebraskans have had a major 
     influence on the pipeline reroute and that the reroute will 
     have minimal environmental impacts.
       (5) The Keystone XL is in much the same position today as 
     the Alaska Pipeline in 1973 prior to congressional action. 
     Once again, the Federal regulatory process remains an 
     insurmountable obstacle to a project that is likely to reduce 
     oil imports from insecure foreign sources.

     SEC. 103. KEYSTONE XL PERMIT APPROVAL.

       Notwithstanding Executive Order No. 13337 (3 U.S.C. 301 
     note), Executive Order No. 11423 (3 U.S.C. 301 note), section 
     301 of title 3, United States Code, and any other Executive 
     order or provision of law, no Presidential permit shall be 
     required for the pipeline described in the application filed 
     on May 4, 2012, by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to the 
     Department of State for the Keystone XL pipeline, as 
     supplemented to include the Nebraska reroute evaluated in the 
     Final Evaluation Report issued by the Nebraska Department of 
     Environmental Quality in January 2013 and approved by the 
     Nebraska governor. The final environmental impact statement 
     issued by the Secretary of State on January 31, 2014, coupled 
     with the Final Evaluation Report described in the previous 
     sentence, shall be considered to satisfy all requirements of 
     the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
     et seq.) and of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 
     U.S.C. 470 et seq.).

     SEC. 104. JUDICIAL REVIEW.

       (a) Exclusive Jurisdiction.--Except for review by the 
     Supreme Court on writ of certiorari, the United States Court 
     of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit shall have 
     original and exclusive jurisdiction to determine--
       (1) the validity of any final order or action (including a 
     failure to act) of any Federal agency or officer with respect 
     to issuance of a permit relating to the construction or 
     maintenance of the Keystone XL pipeline, including any final 
     order or action deemed to be taken, made, granted, or issued;
       (2) the constitutionality of any provision of this 
     subtitle, or any decision or action taken, made, granted, or 
     issued, or deemed to be taken, made, granted, or issued under 
     this subtitle; or
       (3) the adequacy of any environmental impact statement 
     prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
     (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), or of any analysis under any other 
     Act, with respect to any action taken, made, granted, or 
     issued, or deemed to be taken, made, granted, or issued under 
     this subtitle.
       (b) Deadline for Filing Claim.--A claim arising under this 
     subtitle may be brought not later than 60 days after the date 
     of the decision or action giving rise to the claim.
       (c) Expedited Consideration.--The United States Court of 
     Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit shall set any 
     action brought under subsection (a) for expedited 
     consideration, taking into account the national interest of 
     enhancing national energy security by providing access to the 
     significant oil reserves in Canada that are needed to meet 
     the demand for oil.

     SEC. 105. AMERICAN BURYING BEETLE.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
       (1) environmental reviews performed for the Keystone XL 
     pipeline project satisfy the requirements of section 7 of the 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) in its 
     entirety; and
       (2) for purposes of that Act, the Keystone XL pipeline 
     project will not jeopardize the continued existence of the 
     American burying beetle or destroy or adversely modify 
     American burying beetle critical habitat.
       (b) Biological Opinion.--The Secretary of the Interior is 
     deemed to have issued a written statement setting forth the 
     Secretary's opinion containing such findings under section 
     7(b)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
     1536(b)(1)(A)) and any taking of the American burying beetle 
     that is incidental to the construction or operation and 
     maintenance of the Keystone XL pipeline as it may be 
     ultimately defined in its entirety, shall not be considered a 
     prohibited taking of such species under such Act.

     SEC. 106. RIGHT-OF-WAY AND TEMPORARY USE PERMIT.

       The Secretary of the Interior is deemed to have granted or 
     issued a grant of right-of-

[[Page H7821]]

     way and temporary use permit under section 28 of the Mineral 
     Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 185) and the Federal Land Policy and 
     Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), as set forth 
     in the application tendered to the Bureau of Land Management 
     for the Keystone XL pipeline.

     SEC. 107. PERMITS FOR ACTIVITIES IN NAVIGABLE WATERS.

       (a) Issuance of Permits.--The Secretary of the Army, not 
     later than 90 days after receipt of an application therefor, 
     shall issue all permits under section 404 of the Federal 
     Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and section 10 
     of the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403; commonly known as 
     the Rivers and Harbors Appropriations Act of 1899), necessary 
     for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the 
     pipeline described in the May 4, 2012, application referred 
     to in section 103, as supplemented by the Nebraska reroute. 
     The application shall be based on the administrative record 
     for the pipeline as of the date of enactment of this Act, 
     which shall be considered complete.
       (b) Waiver of Procedural Requirements.--The Secretary may 
     waive any procedural requirement of law or regulation that 
     the Secretary considers desirable to waive in order to 
     accomplish the purposes of this section.
       (c) Issuance in Absence of Action by the Secretary.--If the 
     Secretary has not issued a permit described in subsection (a) 
     on or before the last day of the 90-day period referred to in 
     subsection (a), the permit shall be deemed issued under 
     section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
     U.S.C. 1344) or section 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 
     U.S.C. 403), as appropriate, on the day following such last 
     day.
       (d) Limitation.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency may not prohibit or restrict an activity or 
     use of an area that is authorized under this section.

     SEC. 108. MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT PERMIT.

       The Secretary of the Interior is deemed to have issued a 
     special purpose permit under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), as described in the application 
     filed with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for 
     the Keystone XL pipeline on January 11, 2013.

     SEC. 109. OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLAN DISCLOSURE.

       (a) In General.--Any pipeline owner or operator required 
     under Federal law to develop an oil spill response plan for 
     the Keystone XL pipeline shall make such plan available to 
     the Governor of each State in which such pipeline operates to 
     assist with emergency response preparedness.
       (b) Updates.--A pipeline owner or operator required to make 
     available to a Governor a plan under subsection (a) shall 
     make available to such Governor any update of such plan not 
     later than 7 days after the date on which such update is 
     made.

           Subtitle B--Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform

     SEC. 121. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Natural Gas Pipeline 
     Permitting Reform Act''.

     SEC. 122. REGULATORY APPROVAL OF NATURAL GAS PIPELINE 
                   PROJECTS.

       Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717f) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(i)(1) The Commission shall approve or deny an 
     application for a certificate of public convenience and 
     necessity for a prefiled project not later than 12 months 
     after receiving a complete application that is ready to be 
     processed, as defined by the Commission by regulation.
       ``(2) The agency responsible for issuing any license, 
     permit, or approval required under Federal law in connection 
     with a prefiled project for which a certificate of public 
     convenience and necessity is sought under this Act shall 
     approve or deny the issuance of the license, permit, or 
     approval not later than 90 days after the Commission issues 
     its final environmental document relating to the project.
       ``(3) The Commission may extend the time period under 
     paragraph (2) by 30 days if an agency demonstrates that it 
     cannot otherwise complete the process required to approve or 
     deny the license, permit, or approval, and therefor will be 
     compelled to deny the license, permit, or approval. In 
     granting an extension under this paragraph, the Commission 
     may offer technical assistance to the agency as necessary to 
     address conditions preventing the completion of the review of 
     the application for the license, permit, or approval.
       ``(4) If an agency described in paragraph (2) does not 
     approve or deny the issuance of the license, permit, or 
     approval within the time period specified under paragraph (2) 
     or (3), as applicable, such license, permit, or approval 
     shall take effect upon the expiration of 30 days after the 
     end of such period. The Commission shall incorporate into the 
     terms of such license, permit, or approval any conditions 
     proffered by the agency described in paragraph (2) that the 
     Commission does not find are inconsistent with the final 
     environmental document.
       ``(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term `prefiled 
     project' means a project for the siting, construction, 
     expansion, or operation of a natural gas pipeline with 
     respect to which a prefiling docket number has been assigned 
     by the Commission pursuant to a prefiling process established 
     by the Commission for the purpose of facilitating the formal 
     application process for obtaining a certificate of public 
     convenience and necessity.''.

            Subtitle C--North American Energy Infrastructure

     SEC. 131. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``North American Energy 
     Infrastructure Act''.

     SEC. 132. FINDING.

       Congress finds that the United States should establish a 
     more uniform, transparent, and modern process for the 
     construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of oil 
     and natural gas pipelines and electric transmission 
     facilities for the import and export of oil and natural gas 
     and the transmission of electricity to and from Canada and 
     Mexico, in pursuit of a more secure and efficient North 
     American energy market.

     SEC. 133. AUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE 
                   PROJECTS AT THE NATIONAL BOUNDARY OF THE UNITED 
                   STATES.

       (a) Authorization.--Except as provided in subsection (c) 
     and section 137, no person may construct, connect, operate, 
     or maintain a cross-border segment of an oil pipeline or 
     electric transmission facility for the import or export of 
     oil or the transmission of electricity to or from Canada or 
     Mexico without obtaining a certificate of crossing for the 
     construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of the 
     cross-border segment under this section.
       (b) Certificate of Crossing.--
       (1) Requirement.--Not later than 120 days after final 
     action is taken under the National Environmental Policy Act 
     of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to a cross-
     border segment for which a request is received under this 
     section, the relevant official identified under paragraph 
     (2), in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, shall 
     issue a certificate of crossing for the cross-border segment 
     unless the relevant official finds that the construction, 
     connection, operation, or maintenance of the cross-border 
     segment is not in the public interest of the United States.
       (2) Relevant official.--The relevant official referred to 
     in paragraph (1) is--
       (A) the Secretary of State with respect to oil pipelines; 
     and
       (B) the Secretary of Energy with respect to electric 
     transmission facilities.
       (3) Additional requirement for electric transmission 
     facilities.--In the case of a request for a certificate of 
     crossing for the construction, connection, operation, or 
     maintenance of a cross-border segment of an electric 
     transmission facility, the Secretary of Energy shall require, 
     as a condition of issuing the certificate of crossing for the 
     request under paragraph (1), that the cross-border segment of 
     the electric transmission facility be constructed, connected, 
     operated, or maintained consistent with all applicable 
     policies and standards of--
       (A) the Electric Reliability Organization and the 
     applicable regional entity; and
       (B) any Regional Transmission Organization or Independent 
     System Operator with operational or functional control over 
     the cross-border segment of the electric transmission 
     facility.
       (c) Exclusions.--This section shall not apply to any 
     construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of a 
     cross-border segment of an oil pipeline or electric 
     transmission facility for the import or export of oil or the 
     transmission of electricity to or from Canada or Mexico--
       (1) if the cross-border segment is operating for such 
     import, export, or transmission as of the date of enactment 
     of this Act;
       (2) if a permit described in section 136 for such 
     construction, connection, operation, or maintenance has been 
     issued;
       (3) if a certificate of crossing for such construction, 
     connection, operation, or maintenance has previously been 
     issued under this section; or
       (4) if an application for a permit described in section 136 
     for such construction, connection, operation, or maintenance 
     is pending on the date of enactment of this Act, until the 
     earlier of--
       (A) the date on which such application is denied; or
       (B) July 1, 2016.
       (d) Effect of Other Laws.--
       (1) Application to projects.--Nothing in this section or 
     section 137 shall affect the application of any other Federal 
     statute to a project for which a certificate of crossing for 
     the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of a 
     cross-border segment is sought under this section.
       (2) Natural gas act.--Nothing in this section or section 
     137 shall affect the requirement to obtain approval or 
     authorization under sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act 
     for the siting, construction, or operation of any facility to 
     import or export natural gas.
       (3) Energy policy and conservation act.--Nothing in this 
     section or section 137 shall affect the authority of the 
     President under section 103(a) of the Energy Policy and 
     Conservation Act.

     SEC. 134. IMPORTATION OR EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS TO CANADA 
                   AND MEXICO.

       Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b(c)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following: ``No order is 
     required under subsection (a) to authorize the export or 
     import of any natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico.''.

[[Page H7822]]

     SEC. 135. TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY TO CANADA AND 
                   MEXICO.

       (a) Repeal of Requirement To Secure Order.--Section 202(e) 
     of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)) is repealed.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) State regulations.--Section 202(f) of the Federal Power 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 824a(f)) is amended by striking ``insofar as 
     such State regulation does not conflict with the exercise of 
     the Commission's powers under or relating to subsection 
     202(e)''.
       (2) Seasonal diversity electricity exchange.--Section 
     602(b) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 
     (16 U.S.C. 824a-4(b)) is amended by striking ``the Commission 
     has conducted hearings and made the findings required under 
     section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act'' and all that 
     follows through the period at the end and inserting ``the 
     Secretary has conducted hearings and finds that the proposed 
     transmission facilities would not impair the sufficiency of 
     electric supply within the United States or would not impede 
     or tend to impede the coordination in the public interest of 
     facilities subject to the jurisdiction of the Secretary.''.

     SEC. 136. NO PRESIDENTIAL PERMIT REQUIRED.

       No Presidential permit (or similar permit) required under 
     Executive Order No. 13337 (3 U.S.C. 301 note), Executive 
     Order No. 11423 (3 U.S.C. 301 note), section 301 of title 3, 
     United States Code, Executive Order No. 12038, Executive 
     Order No. 10485, or any other Executive order shall be 
     necessary for the construction, connection, operation, or 
     maintenance of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric 
     transmission facility, or any cross-border segment thereof.

     SEC. 137. MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING PROJECTS.

       No certificate of crossing under section 133, or permit 
     described in section 136, shall be required for a 
     modification to the construction, connection, operation, or 
     maintenance of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric 
     transmission facility--
       (1) that is operating for the import or export of oil or 
     natural gas or the transmission of electricity to or from 
     Canada or Mexico as of the date of enactment of the Act;
       (2) for which a permit described in section 136 for such 
     construction, connection, operation, or maintenance has been 
     issued; or
       (3) for which a certificate of crossing for the cross-
     border segment of the pipeline or facility has previously 
     been issued under section 133.

     SEC. 138. EFFECTIVE DATE; RULEMAKING DEADLINES.

       (a) Effective Date.--Sections 133 through 137, and the 
     amendments made by such sections, shall take effect on July 
     1, 2015.
       (b) Rulemaking Deadlines.--Each relevant official described 
     in section 133(b)(2) shall--
       (1) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, publish in the Federal Register notice of a 
     proposed rulemaking to carry out the applicable requirements 
     of section 133; and
       (2) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, publish in the Federal Register a final rule to 
     carry out the applicable requirements of section 133.

     SEC. 139. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle--
       (1) the term ``cross-border segment'' means the portion of 
     an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission 
     facility that is located at the national boundary of the 
     United States with either Canada or Mexico;
       (2) the term ``modification'' includes a reversal of flow 
     direction, change in ownership, volume expansion, downstream 
     or upstream interconnection, or adjustment to maintain flow 
     (such as a reduction or increase in the number of pump or 
     compressor stations);
       (3) the term ``natural gas'' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 2 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717a);
       (4) the term ``oil'' means petroleum or a petroleum 
     product;
       (5) the terms ``Electric Reliability Organization'' and 
     ``regional entity'' have the meanings given those terms in 
     section 215 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o); and
       (6) the terms ``Independent System Operator'' and 
     ``Regional Transmission Organization'' have the meanings 
     given those terms in section 3 of the Federal Power Act (16 
     U.S.C. 796).

 TITLE II--MAINTAINING DIVERSE ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND AFFORDABILITY

                  Subtitle A--Energy Consumers Relief

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Energy Consumers Relief 
     Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 202. PROHIBITION AGAINST FINALIZING CERTAIN ENERGY-
                   RELATED RULES THAT WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT 
                   ADVERSE EFFECTS TO THE ECONOMY.

       Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
     Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may not 
     promulgate as final an energy-related rule that is estimated 
     to cost more than $1 billion if the Secretary of Energy 
     determines under section 203(3) that the rule will cause 
     significant adverse effects to the economy.

     SEC. 203. REPORTS AND DETERMINATIONS PRIOR TO PROMULGATING AS 
                   FINAL CERTAIN ENERGY-RELATED RULES.

       Before promulgating as final any energy-related rule that 
     is estimated to cost more than $1 billion:
       (1) Report to congress.--The Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency shall submit to Congress a 
     report (and transmit a copy to the Secretary of Energy) 
     containing--
       (A) a copy of the rule;
       (B) a concise general statement relating to the rule;
       (C) an estimate of the total costs of the rule, including 
     the direct costs and indirect costs of the rule;
       (D)(i) an estimate of the total benefits of the rule and 
     when such benefits are expected to be realized;
       (ii) a description of the modeling, the calculations, the 
     assumptions, and the limitations due to uncertainty, 
     speculation, or lack of information associated with the 
     estimates under this subparagraph; and
       (iii) a certification that all data and documents relied 
     upon by the Agency in developing such estimates--
       (I) have been preserved; and
       (II) are available for review by the public on the Agency's 
     Web site, except to the extent to which publication of such 
     data and documents would constitute disclosure of 
     confidential information in violation of applicable Federal 
     law;
       (E) an estimate of the increases in energy prices, 
     including potential increases in gasoline or electricity 
     prices for consumers, that may result from implementation or 
     enforcement of the rule; and
       (F) a detailed description of the employment effects, 
     including potential job losses and shifts in employment, that 
     may result from implementation or enforcement of the rule.
       (2) Initial determination on increases and impacts.--The 
     Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Federal Energy 
     Regulatory Commission and the Administrator of the Energy 
     Information Administration, shall prepare an independent 
     analysis to determine whether the rule will cause--
       (A) any increase in energy prices for consumers, including 
     low-income households, small businesses, and manufacturers;
       (B) any impact on fuel diversity of the Nation's 
     electricity generation portfolio or on national, regional, or 
     local electric reliability;
       (C) any adverse effect on energy supply, distribution, or 
     use due to the economic or technical infeasibility of 
     implementing the rule; or
       (D) any other adverse effect on energy supply, 
     distribution, or use (including a shortfall in supply and 
     increased use of foreign supplies).
       (3) Subsequent determination on adverse effects to the 
     economy.--If the Secretary of Energy determines, under 
     paragraph (2), that the rule will cause an increase, impact, 
     or effect described in such paragraph, then the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary 
     of Labor, and the Administrator of the Small Business 
     Administration, shall--
       (A) determine whether the rule will cause significant 
     adverse effects to the economy, taking into consideration--
       (i) the costs and benefits of the rule and limitations in 
     calculating such costs and benefits due to uncertainty, 
     speculation, or lack of information; and
       (ii) the positive and negative impacts of the rule on 
     economic indicators, including those related to gross 
     domestic product, unemployment, wages, consumer prices, and 
     business and manufacturing activity; and
       (B) publish the results of such determination in the 
     Federal Register.

     SEC. 204. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle:
       (1) The terms ``direct costs'' and ``indirect costs'' have 
     the meanings given such terms in chapter 8 of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency's ``Guidelines for Preparing 
     Economic Analyses'' dated December 17, 2010.
       (2) The term ``energy-related rule that is estimated to 
     cost more than $1 billion'' means a rule of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency that--
       (A) regulates any aspect of the production, supply, 
     distribution, or use of energy or provides for such 
     regulation by States or other governmental entities; and
       (B) is estimated by the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency or the Director of the Office of Management 
     and Budget to impose direct costs and indirect costs, in the 
     aggregate, of more than $1,000,000,000.
       (3) The term ``rule'' has the meaning given to such term in 
     section 551 of title 5, United States Code.

     SEC. 205. PROHIBITION ON USE OF SOCIAL COST OF CARBON IN 
                   ANALYSIS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     or any executive order, the Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency may not use the social cost 
     of carbon in order to incorporate social benefits of reducing 
     carbon dioxide emissions, or for any other reason, in any 
     cost-benefit analysis relating to an energy-related rule that 
     is estimated to cost more than $1 billion unless and until a 
     Federal law is enacted authorizing such use.
       (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``social cost of 
     carbon'' means the social cost of carbon as described in the 
     technical support document entitled ``Technical Support 
     Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for 
     Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866'', 
     published by the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of 
     Carbon, United States Government, in May 2013, or any 
     successor or substantially related document, or any other 
     estimate of the monetized damages associated with an 
     incremental increase in carbon dioxide emissions in a given 
     year.

[[Page H7823]]

           Subtitle B--Electricity Security and Affordability

     SEC. 211. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Electricity Security 
     and Affordability Act''.

     SEC. 212. STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW FOSSIL FUEL-FIRED 
                   ELECTRIC UTILITY GENERATING UNITS.

       (a) Limitation.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency may not issue, implement, or enforce any 
     proposed or final rule under section 111 of the Clean Air Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 7411) that establishes a standard of performance 
     for emissions of any greenhouse gas from any new source that 
     is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit 
     unless such rule meets the requirements under subsections (b) 
     and (c).
       (b) Requirements.--In issuing any rule under section 111 of 
     the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7411) establishing standards of 
     performance for emissions of any greenhouse gas from new 
     sources that are fossil fuel-fired electric utility 
     generating units, the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency (for purposes of establishing such 
     standards)--
       (1) shall separate sources fueled with coal and natural gas 
     into separate categories; and
       (2) shall not set a standard based on the best system of 
     emission reduction for new sources within a fossil-fuel 
     category unless--
       (A) such standard has been achieved on average for at least 
     one continuous 12-month period (excluding planned outages) by 
     each of at least 6 units within such category--
       (i) each of which is located at a different electric 
     generating station in the United States;
       (ii) which, collectively, are representative of the 
     operating characteristics of electric generation at different 
     locations in the United States; and
       (iii) each of which is operated for the entire 12-month 
     period on a full commercial basis; and
       (B) no results obtained from any demonstration project are 
     used in setting such standard.
       (c) Coal Having a Heat Content of 8300 or Less British 
     Thermal Units Per Pound.--
       (1) Separate subcategory.--In carrying out subsection 
     (b)(1), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency shall establish a separate subcategory for new sources 
     that are fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating units 
     using coal with an average heat content of 8300 or less 
     British Thermal Units per pound.
       (2) Standard.--Notwithstanding subsection (b)(2), in 
     issuing any rule under section 111 of the Clean Air Act (42 
     U.S.C. 7411) establishing standards of performance for 
     emissions of any greenhouse gas from new sources in such 
     subcategory, the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency shall not set a standard based on the best 
     system of emission reduction unless--
       (A) such standard has been achieved on average for at least 
     one continuous 12-month period (excluding planned outages) by 
     each of at least 3 units within such subcategory--
       (i) each of which is located at a different electric 
     generating station in the United States;
       (ii) which, collectively, are representative of the 
     operating characteristics of electric generation at different 
     locations in the United States; and
       (iii) each of which is operated for the entire 12-month 
     period on a full commercial basis; and
       (B) no results obtained from any demonstration project are 
     used in setting such standard.
       (d) Technologies.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to preclude the issuance, implementation, or 
     enforcement of a standard of performance that--
       (1) is based on the use of one or more technologies that 
     are developed in a foreign country, but has been demonstrated 
     to be achievable at fossil fuel-fired electric utility 
     generating units in the United States; and
       (2) meets the requirements of subsection (b) and (c), as 
     applicable.

     SEC. 213. CONGRESS TO SET EFFECTIVE DATE FOR STANDARDS OF 
                   PERFORMANCE FOR EXISTING, MODIFIED, AND 
                   RECONSTRUCTED FOSSIL FUEL-FIRED ELECTRIC 
                   UTILITY GENERATING UNITS.

       (a) Applicability.--This section applies with respect to 
     any rule or guidelines issued by the Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency under section 111 of the 
     Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7411) that--
       (1) establish any standard of performance for emissions of 
     any greenhouse gas from any modified or reconstructed source 
     that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit; 
     or
       (2) apply to the emissions of any greenhouse gas from an 
     existing source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility 
     generating unit.
       (b) Congress To Set Effective Date.--A rule or guidelines 
     described in subsection (a) shall not take effect unless a 
     Federal law is enacted specifying such rule's or guidelines' 
     effective date.
       (c) Reporting.--A rule or guidelines described in 
     subsection (a) shall not take effect unless the Administrator 
     of the Environmental Protection Agency has submitted to 
     Congress a report containing each of the following:
       (1) The text of such rule or guidelines.
       (2) The economic impacts of such rule or guidelines, 
     including the potential effects on--
       (A) economic growth, competitiveness, and jobs in the 
     United States;
       (B) electricity ratepayers, including low-income ratepayers 
     in affected States;
       (C) required capital investments and projected costs for 
     operation and maintenance of new equipment required to be 
     installed; and
       (D) the global economic competitiveness of the United 
     States.
       (3) The amount of greenhouse gas emissions that such rule 
     or guidelines are projected to reduce as compared to overall 
     global greenhouse gas emissions.
       (d) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (c), the 
     Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall 
     consult with the Administrator of the Energy Information 
     Administration, the Comptroller General of the United States, 
     the Director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory, 
     and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and 
     Technology.

     SEC. 214. REPEAL OF EARLIER RULES AND GUIDELINES.

       The following rules and guidelines shall be of no force or 
     effect, and shall be treated as though such rules and 
     guidelines had never been issued:
       (1) The proposed rule--
       (A) entitled ``Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas 
     Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility 
     Generating Units'', published at 77 Fed. Reg. 22392 (April 
     13, 2012); and
       (B) withdrawn pursuant to the notice entitled ``Withdrawal 
     of Proposed Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas 
     Emissions From New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility 
     Generating Units'', published at 79 Fed. Reg. 1352 (January 
     8, 2014).
       (2) The proposed rule entitled ``Standards of Performance 
     for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New Stationary Sources: 
     Electric Utility Generating Units'', published at 79 Fed. 
     Reg. 1430 (January 8, 2014).
       (3) With respect to the proposed rules described in 
     paragraphs (1) and (2), any successor or substantially 
     similar proposed or final rule that--
       (A) is issued prior to the date of the enactment of this 
     Act;
       (B) is applicable to any new source that is a fossil fuel-
     fired electric utility generating unit; and
       (C) does not meet the requirements under subsections (b) 
     and (c) of section 212.
       (4) The proposed rule entitled ``Carbon Pollution Emission 
     Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility 
     Generating Units'', published at 79 Fed. Reg. 34830 (June 18, 
     2014).
       (5) The proposed rule entitled ``Carbon Pollution Standards 
     for Modified and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric 
     Utility Generating Units'', published at 79 Fed. Reg. 34960 
     (June 18, 2014).
       (6) With respect to the proposed rules described in 
     paragraphs (4) and (5), any successor or substantially 
     similar proposed or final rule that--
       (A) is issued prior to the date of the enactment of this 
     Act; and
       (B) is applicable to any existing, modified, or 
     reconstructed source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric 
     utility generating unit.

     SEC. 215. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle:
       (1) Demonstration project.--The term ``demonstration 
     project'' means a project to test or demonstrate the 
     feasibility of carbon capture and storage technologies that 
     has received Federal Government funding or financial 
     assistance.
       (2) Existing source.--The term ``existing source'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 111(a) of the Clean Air 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 7411(a)), except such term shall not include 
     any modified source.
       (3) Greenhouse gas.--The term ``greenhouse gas'' means any 
     of the following:
       (A) Carbon dioxide.
       (B) Methane.
       (C) Nitrous oxide.
       (D) Sulfur hexafluoride.
       (E) Hydrofluorocarbons.
       (F) Perfluorocarbons.
       (4) Modification.--The term ``modification'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 111(a) of the Clean Air 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 7411(a)).
       (5) Modified source.--The term ``modified source'' means 
     any stationary source, the modification of which is commenced 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (6) New source.--The term ``new source'' has the meaning 
     given such term in section 111(a) of the Clean Air Act (42 
     U.S.C. 7411(a)), except that such term shall not include any 
     modified source.

 Subtitle C--Report on Energy and Water Savings Potential From Thermal 
                               Insulation

     SEC. 221. REPORT ON ENERGY AND WATER SAVINGS POTENTIAL FROM 
                   THERMAL INSULATION.

       (a) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in 
     consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and relevant 
     stakeholders, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
     and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the 
     impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use 
     systems for potable hot and chilled water in Federal 
     buildings, and the return on investment of installing such 
     insulation.
       (b) Contents.--The report shall include--
       (1) an analysis based on the cost of municipal or regional 
     water for delivered water and the avoided cost of new water; 
     and

[[Page H7824]]

       (2) a summary of energy and water savings, including short 
     term and long term (20 years) projections of such savings.

                 TITLE III--UNLEASHING ENERGY DIPLOMACY

     SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Domestic Prosperity and 
     Global Freedom Act''.

     SEC. 302. ACTION ON APPLICATIONS.

       (a) Decision Deadline.--For proposals that must also obtain 
     authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
     or the United States Maritime Administration to site, 
     construct, expand, or operate LNG export facilities, the 
     Department of Energy shall issue a final decision on any 
     application for the authorization to export natural gas under 
     section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) not later 
     than 30 days after the later of--
       (1) the conclusion of the review to site, construct, 
     expand, or operate the LNG facilities required by the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S. C. 4321 et 
     seq.); or
       (2) the date of enactment of this Act.
       (b) Conclusion of Review.--For purposes of subsection (a), 
     review required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 
     1969 shall be considered concluded--
       (1) for a project requiring an Environmental Impact 
     Statement, 30 days after publication of a Final Environmental 
     Impact Statement;
       (2) for a project for which an Environmental Assessment has 
     been prepared, 30 days after publication by the Department of 
     Energy of a Finding of No Significant Impact; and
       (3) upon a determination by the lead agency that an 
     application is eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 implementing 
     regulations.
       (c) Judicial Action.--(1) The United States Court of 
     Appeals for the circuit in which the export facility will be 
     located pursuant to an application described in subsection 
     (a) shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over any 
     civil action for the review of--
       (A) an order issued by the Department of Energy with 
     respect to such application; or
       (B) the Department of Energy's failure to issue a final 
     decision on such application.
       (2) If the Court in a civil action described in paragraph 
     (1) finds that the Department of Energy has failed to issue a 
     final decision on the application as required under 
     subsection (a), the Court shall order the Department of 
     Energy to issue such final decision not later than 30 days 
     after the Court's order.
       (3) The Court shall set any civil action brought under this 
     subsection for expedited consideration and shall set the 
     matter on the docket as soon as practical after the filing 
     date of the initial pleading.

     SEC. 303. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF EXPORT DESTINATIONS.

       Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Public Disclosure of LNG Export Destinations.--As a 
     condition for approval of any authorization to export LNG, 
     the Secretary of Energy shall require the applicant to 
     publicly disclose the specific destination or destinations of 
     any such authorized LNG exports.''.

                DIVISION B--NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

     SEC. 201. REFERENCES.

       Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to 
     ``this Act'' in any subdivision of this division shall be 
     treated as referring only to the provisions of that 
     subdivision.

 SUBDIVISION A--LOWERING GASOLINE PRICES TO FUEL AN AMERICA THAT WORKS 
                              ACT OF 2014

     SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This subdivision may be cited as the ``Lowering Gasoline 
     Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014''.

                   TITLE I--OFFSHORE ENERGY AND JOBS

      Subtitle A--Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program Reforms

     SEC. 10101. OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LEASING PROGRAM REFORMS.

       Section 18(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1344(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(5)(A) In each oil and gas leasing program under this 
     section, the Secretary shall make available for leasing and 
     conduct lease sales including at least 50 percent of the 
     available unleased acreage within each outer Continental 
     Shelf planning area considered to have the largest 
     undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources 
     (on a total btu basis) based upon the most recent national 
     geologic assessment of the outer Continental Shelf, with an 
     emphasis on offering the most geologically prospective parts 
     of the planning area.
       ``(B) The Secretary shall include in each proposed oil and 
     gas leasing program under this section any State subdivision 
     of an outer Continental Shelf planning area that the Governor 
     of the State that represents that subdivision requests be 
     made available for leasing. The Secretary may not remove such 
     a subdivision from the program until publication of the final 
     program, and shall include and consider all such subdivisions 
     in any environmental review conducted and statement prepared 
     for such program under section 102(2) of the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)).
       ``(C) In this paragraph the term `available unleased 
     acreage' means that portion of the outer Continental Shelf 
     that is not under lease at the time of a proposed lease sale, 
     and that has not otherwise been made unavailable for leasing 
     by law.
       ``(6)(A) In the 5-year oil and gas leasing program, the 
     Secretary shall make available for leasing any outer 
     Continental Shelf planning areas that--
       ``(i) are estimated to contain more than 2,500,000,000 
     barrels of oil; or
       ``(ii) are estimated to contain more than 7,500,000,000,000 
     cubic feet of natural gas.
       ``(B) To determine the planning areas described in 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall use the document 
     entitled `Minerals Management Service Assessment of 
     Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Oil and Gas Resources of 
     the Nation's Outer Continental Shelf, 2006'.''.

     SEC. 10102. DOMESTIC OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION GOAL.

       Section 18(b) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1344(b)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(b) Domestic Oil and Natural Gas Production Goal.---
       ``(1) In general.--In developing a 5-year oil and gas 
     leasing program, and subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
     shall determine a domestic strategic production goal for the 
     development of oil and natural gas as a result of that 
     program. Such goal shall be--
       ``(A) the best estimate of the possible increase in 
     domestic production of oil and natural gas from the outer 
     Continental Shelf;
       ``(B) focused on meeting domestic demand for oil and 
     natural gas and reducing the dependence of the United States 
     on foreign energy; and
       ``(C) focused on the production increases achieved by the 
     leasing program at the end of the 15-year period beginning on 
     the effective date of the program.
       ``(2) Program goal.--For purposes of the 5-year oil and gas 
     leasing program, the production goal referred to in paragraph 
     (1) shall be an increase by 2032 of--
       ``(A) no less than 3,000,000 barrels in the amount of oil 
     produced per day; and
       ``(B) no less than 10,000,000,000 cubic feet in the amount 
     of natural gas produced per day.
       ``(3) Reporting.--The Secretary shall report annually, 
     beginning at the end of the 5-year period for which the 
     program applies, to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
     Natural Resources of the Senate on the progress of the 
     program in meeting the production goal. The Secretary shall 
     identify in the report projections for production and any 
     problems with leasing, permitting, or production that will 
     prevent meeting the goal.''.

     SEC. 10103. DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMITTAL OF NEW 5-YEAR OIL AND 
                   GAS LEASING PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall--
       (1) by not later than July 15, 2015, publish and submit to 
     Congress a new proposed oil and gas leasing program under 
     section 18 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1344) for the 5-year period beginning on such date and 
     ending July 15, 2021; and
       (2) by not later than July 15, 2016, approve a final oil 
     and gas leasing program under such section for such period.
       (b) Consideration of All Areas.--In preparing such program 
     the Secretary shall include consideration of areas of the 
     Continental Shelf off the coasts of all States (as such term 
     is defined in section 2 of that Act, as amended by this 
     title), that are subject to leasing under this title.
       (c) Technical Correction.--Section 18(d)(3) of the Outer 
     Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344(d)(3)) is amended 
     by striking ``or after eighteen months following the date of 
     enactment of this section, whichever first occurs,''.

     SEC. 10104. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the 
     issuance of a lease under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
     Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) to any person designated for the 
     imposition of sanctions pursuant to--
       (1) the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), 
     the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and 
     Divestiture Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.), the Iran 
     Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 
     U.S.C. 8701 et seq.), section 1245 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a), or 
     the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (22 
     U.S.C. 8801 et seq.);
       (2) Executive Order No. 13622 (July 30, 2012), Executive 
     Order No. 13628 (October 9, 2012), or Executive Order No. 
     13645 (June 3, 2013);
       (3) Executive Order No. 13224 (September 23, 2001) or 
     Executive Order No. 13338 (May 11, 2004); or
       (4) the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 
     Restoration Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note).

     SEC. 10105. ADDITION OF LEASE SALES AFTER FINALIZATION OF 5-
                   YEAR PLAN.

       Section 18(d) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C.1344(d)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``After'' and inserting 
     ``Except as provided in paragraph (4), after''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) The Secretary may add to the areas included in an 
     approved leasing program additional areas to be made 
     available for leasing under the program, if all review and 
     documents required under section 102 of the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42

[[Page H7825]]

     U.S.C. 4332) have been completed with respect to leasing of 
     each such additional area within the 5-year period preceding 
     such addition.''.

      Subtitle B--Directing the President To Conduct New OCS Sales

     SEC. 10201. REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT PROPOSED OIL AND GAS LEASE 
                   SALE 220 ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 
                   OFFSHORE VIRGINIA.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the exclusion of Lease 
     Sale 220 in the Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas 
     Leasing Program 2012-2017, the Secretary of the Interior 
     shall conduct offshore oil and gas Lease Sale 220 under 
     section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
     1337) as soon as practicable, but not later than one year 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (b) Requirement To Make Replacement Lease Blocks 
     Available.--For each lease block in a proposed lease sale 
     under this section for which the Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, under the 
     Memorandum of Agreement referred to in section 10205(b), 
     issues a statement proposing deferral from a lease offering 
     due to defense-related activities that are irreconcilable 
     with mineral exploration and development, the Secretary of 
     the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, 
     shall make available in the same lease sale one other lease 
     block in the Virginia lease sale planning area that is 
     acceptable for oil and gas exploration and production in 
     order to mitigate conflict.
       (c) Balancing Military and Energy Production Goals.--In 
     recognition that the Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas 
     leasing program and the domestic energy resources produced 
     therefrom are integral to national security, the Secretary of 
     the Interior and the Secretary of Defense shall work jointly 
     in implementing this section in order to ensure achievement 
     of the following common goals:
       (1) Preserving the ability of the Armed Forces of the 
     United States to maintain an optimum state of readiness 
     through their continued use of the Outer Continental Shelf.
       (2) Allowing effective exploration, development, and 
     production of our Nation's oil, gas, and renewable energy 
     resources.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Lease sale 220.--The term ``Lease Sale 220'' means such 
     lease sale referred to in the Request for Comments on the 
     Draft Proposed 5-Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and 
     Gas Leasing Program for 2010-2015 and Notice of Intent To 
     Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
     Proposed 5-Year Program published January 21, 2009 (74 Fed. 
     Reg. 3631).
       (2) Virginia lease sale planning area.--The term ``Virginia 
     lease sale planning area'' means the area of the outer 
     Continental Shelf (as that term is defined in the Outer 
     Continental Shelf Lands Act (33 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.)) that is 
     bounded by--
       (A) a northern boundary consisting of a straight line 
     extending from the northernmost point of Virginia's seaward 
     boundary to the point on the seaward boundary of the United 
     States exclusive economic zone located at 37 degrees 17 
     minutes 1 second North latitude, 71 degrees 5 minutes 16 
     seconds West longitude; and
       (B) a southern boundary consisting of a straight line 
     extending from the southernmost point of Virginia's seaward 
     boundary to the point on the seaward boundary of the United 
     States exclusive economic zone located at 36 degrees 31 
     minutes 58 seconds North latitude, 71 degrees 30 minutes 1 
     second West longitude.

     SEC. 10202. SOUTH CAROLINA LEASE SALE.

       Notwithstanding exclusion of the South Atlantic Outer 
     Continental Shelf Planning Area from the Final Outer 
     Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program 2012-2017, the 
     Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a lease sale not 
     later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act for areas off the coast of South Carolina determined by 
     the Secretary to have the most geologically promising 
     hydrocarbon resources and constituting not less than 25 
     percent of the leasable area within the South Carolina 
     offshore administrative boundaries depicted in the notice 
     entitled ``Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
     Administrative Boundaries Extending from the Submerged Lands 
     Act Boundary seaward to the Limit of the United States Outer 
     Continental Shelf'', published January 3, 2006 (71 Fed. Reg. 
     127).

     SEC. 10203. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE LEASE 
                   SALE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall offer 
     for sale leases of tracts in the Santa Maria and Santa 
     Barbara/Ventura Basins of the Southern California OCS 
     Planning Area as soon as practicable, but not later than 
     December 31, 2015.
       (b) Use of Existing Structures or Onshore-Based Drilling.--
     The Secretary of the Interior shall include in leases offered 
     for sale under this lease sale such terms and conditions as 
     are necessary to require that development and production may 
     occur only from offshore infrastructure in existence on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act or from onshore-based, 
     extended-reach drilling.

     SEC. 10204. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT REQUIREMENT.

       (a) In General.--For the purposes of this title, the 
     Secretary of the Interior shall prepare a multisale 
     environmental impact statement under section 102 of the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) 
     for all lease sales required under this subtitle.
       (b) Actions To Be Considered.--Notwithstanding section 102 
     of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
     4332), in such statement--
       (1) the Secretary is not required to identify nonleasing 
     alternative courses of action or to analyze the environmental 
     effects of such alternative courses of action; and
       (2) the Secretary shall only--
       (A) identify a preferred action for leasing and not more 
     than one alternative leasing proposal; and
       (B) analyze the environmental effects and potential 
     mitigation measures for such preferred action and such 
     alternative leasing proposal.

     SEC. 10205. NATIONAL DEFENSE.

       (a) National Defense Areas.--This title does not affect the 
     existing authority of the Secretary of Defense, with the 
     approval of the President, to designate national defense 
     areas on the Outer Continental Shelf pursuant to section 
     12(d) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
     1341(d)).
       (b) Prohibition on Conflicts With Military Operations.--No 
     person may engage in any exploration, development, or 
     production of oil or natural gas on the Outer Continental 
     Shelf under a lease issued under this title that would 
     conflict with any military operation, as determined in 
     accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement between the 
     Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior on 
     Mutual Concerns on the Outer Continental Shelf signed July 
     20, 1983, and any revision or replacement for that agreement 
     that is agreed to by the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of the Interior after that date but before the date 
     of issuance of the lease under which such exploration, 
     development, or production is conducted.

     SEC. 10206. EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO NOT INCLUDED.

       Nothing in this title affects restrictions on oil and gas 
     leasing under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 
     (title I of division C of Public Law 109-432; 43 U.S.C. 1331 
     note).

   Subtitle C--Equitable Sharing of Outer Continental Shelf Revenues

     SEC. 10301. DISPOSITION OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF REVENUES 
                   TO COASTAL STATES.

       (a) In General.--Section 9 of the Outer Continental Shelf 
     Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1338) is amended--
       (1) in the existing text--
       (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``All rentals,'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(c) Disposition of Revenue Under Old Leases.--All 
     rentals,''; and
       (B) in subsection (c) (as designated by the amendment made 
     by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph), by striking ``for the 
     period from June 5, 1950, to date, and thereafter'' and 
     inserting ``in the period beginning June 5, 1950, and ending 
     on the date of enactment of the Lowering Gasoline Prices to 
     Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014'';
       (2) by adding after subsection (c) (as so designated) the 
     following:
       ``(d)  Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Coastal state.--The term `coastal State' includes a 
     territory of the United States.
       ``(2) New leasing revenues.--The term `new leasing 
     revenues'--
       ``(A) means amounts received by the United States as 
     bonuses, rents, and royalties under leases for oil and gas, 
     wind, tidal, or other energy exploration, development, and 
     production on new areas of the outer Continental Shelf that 
     are authorized to be made available for leasing as a result 
     of enactment of the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an 
     America That Works Act of 2014 and leasing under that Act; 
     and
       ``(B) does not include amounts received by the United 
     States under any lease of an area located in the boundaries 
     of the Central Gulf of Mexico and Western Gulf of Mexico 
     Outer Continental Shelf Planning Areas on the date of 
     enactment of the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America 
     That Works Act of 2014, including a lease issued before, on, 
     or after such date of enactment.''; and
       (3) by inserting before subsection (c) (as so designated) 
     the following:
       ``(a) Payment of New Leasing Revenues to Coastal States.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), of 
     the amount of new leasing revenues received by the United 
     States each fiscal year, 37.5 percent shall be allocated and 
     paid in accordance with subsection (b) to coastal States that 
     are affected States with respect to the leases under which 
     those revenues are received by the United States.
       ``(2) Phase-in.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     paragraph (1) shall be applied--
       ``(i) with respect to new leasing revenues under leases 
     awarded under the first leasing program under section 18(a) 
     that takes effect after the date of enactment of the Lowering 
     Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014, by 
     substituting `12.5 percent' for `37.5 percent'; and
       ``(ii) with respect to new leasing revenues under leases 
     awarded under the second leasing program under section 18(a) 
     that takes effect after the date of enactment of the Lowering 
     Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014, by 
     substituting `25 percent' for `37.5 percent'.
       ``(B) Exempted lease sales.--This paragraph shall not apply 
     with respect to any lease issued under subtitle B of the 
     Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 
     2014.
       ``(b) Allocation of Payments.--

[[Page H7826]]

       ``(1) In general.--The amount of new leasing revenues 
     received by the United States with respect to a leased tract 
     that are required to be paid to coastal States in accordance 
     with this subsection each fiscal year shall be allocated 
     among and paid to coastal States that are within 200 miles of 
     the leased tract, in amounts that are inversely proportional 
     to the respective distances between the point on the 
     coastline of each such State that is closest to the 
     geographic center of the lease tract, as determined by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(2) Minimum and maximum allocation.--The amount allocated 
     to a coastal State under paragraph (1) each fiscal year with 
     respect to a leased tract shall be--
       ``(A) in the case of a coastal State that is the nearest 
     State to the geographic center of the leased tract, not less 
     than 25 percent of the total amounts allocated with respect 
     to the leased tract;
       ``(B) in the case of any other coastal State, not less than 
     10 percent, and not more than 15 percent, of the total 
     amounts allocated with respect to the leased tract; and
       ``(C) in the case of a coastal State that is the only 
     coastal State within 200 miles of a leased tract, 100 percent 
     of the total amounts allocated with respect to the leased 
     tract.
       ``(3) Administration.--Amounts allocated to a coastal State 
     under this subsection--
       ``(A) shall be available to the coastal State without 
     further appropriation;
       ``(B) shall remain available until expended;
       ``(C) shall be in addition to any other amounts available 
     to the coastal State under this Act; and
       ``(D) shall be distributed in the fiscal year following 
     receipt.
       ``(4) Use of funds.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     a coastal State may use funds allocated and paid to it under 
     this subsection for any purpose as determined by the laws of 
     that State.
       ``(B) Restriction on use for matching.--Funds allocated and 
     paid to a coastal State under this subsection may not be used 
     as matching funds for any other Federal program.''.
       (b) Limitation on Application.--This section and the 
     amendment made by this section shall not affect the 
     application of section 105 of the Gulf of Mexico Energy 
     Security Act of 2006 (title I of division C of Public Law 
     109-432; (43 U.S.C. 1331 note)), as in effect before the 
     enactment of this Act, with respect to revenues received by 
     the United States under oil and gas leases issued for tracts 
     located in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico Outer 
     Continental Shelf Planning Areas, including such leases 
     issued on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

   Subtitle D--Reorganization of Minerals Management Agencies of the 
                       Department of the Interior

     SEC. 10401. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNDER SECRETARY FOR ENERGY, 
                   LANDS, AND MINERALS AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF 
                   OCEAN ENERGY AND SAFETY.

       There shall be in the Department of the Interior--
       (1) an Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and Minerals, who 
     shall--
       (A) be appointed by the President, by and with the advise 
     and consent of the Senate;
       (B) report to the Secretary of the Interior or, if directed 
     by the Secretary, to the Deputy Secretary of the Interior;
       (C) be paid at the rate payable for level III of the 
     Executive Schedule; and
       (D) be responsible for--
       (i) the safe and responsible development of our energy and 
     mineral resources on Federal lands in appropriate accordance 
     with United States energy demands; and
       (ii) ensuring multiple-use missions of the Department of 
     the Interior that promote the safe and sustained development 
     of energy and minerals resources on public lands (as that 
     term is defined in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
     of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.));
       (2) an Assistant Secretary of Ocean Energy and Safety, who 
     shall--
       (A) be appointed by the President, by and with the advise 
     and consent of the Senate;
       (B) report to the Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and 
     Minerals;
       (C) be paid at the rate payable for level IV of the 
     Executive Schedule; and
       (D) be responsible for ensuring safe and efficient 
     development of energy and minerals on the Outer Continental 
     Shelf of the United States; and
       (3) an Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management, 
     who shall--
       (A) be appointed by the President, by and with the advise 
     and consent of the Senate;
       (B) report to the Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and 
     Minerals;
       (C) be paid at the rate payable for level IV of the 
     Executive Schedule; and
       (D) be responsible for ensuring safe and efficient 
     development of energy and minerals on public lands and other 
     Federal onshore lands under the jurisdiction of the 
     Department of the Interior, including implementation of the 
     Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) and the Surface 
     Mining Control and Reclamation Act (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.) 
     and administration of the Office of Surface Mining.

     SEC. 10402. BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department 
     of the Interior a Bureau of Ocean Energy (referred to in this 
     section as the ``Bureau''), which shall--
       (1) be headed by a Director of Ocean Energy (referred to in 
     this section as the ``Director''); and
       (2) be administered under the direction of the Assistant 
     Secretary of Ocean Energy and Safety.
       (b) Director.--
       (1) Appointment.--The Director shall be appointed by the 
     Secretary of the Interior.
       (2) Compensation.--The Director shall be compensated at the 
     rate provided for level V of the Executive Schedule under 
     section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (c) Duties.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry 
     out through the Bureau all functions, powers, and duties 
     vested in the Secretary relating to the administration of a 
     comprehensive program of offshore mineral and renewable 
     energy resources management.
       (2) Specific authorities.--The Director shall promulgate 
     and implement regulations--
       (A) for the proper issuance of leases for the exploration, 
     development, and production of nonrenewable and renewable 
     energy and mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf;
       (B) relating to resource identification, access, 
     evaluation, and utilization;
       (C) for development of leasing plans, lease sales, and 
     issuance of leases for such resources; and
       (D) regarding issuance of environmental impact statements 
     related to leasing and post leasing activities including 
     exploration, development, and production, and the use of 
     third party contracting for necessary environmental analysis 
     for the development of such resources.
       (3) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not carry out through 
     the Bureau any function, power, or duty that is--
       (A) required by section 10403 to be carried out through the 
     Ocean Energy Safety Service; or
       (B) required by section 10404 to be carried out through the 
     Office of Natural Resources Revenue.
       (d) Responsibilities of Land Management Agencies.--Nothing 
     in this section shall affect the authorities of the Bureau of 
     Land Management under the Federal Land Policy and Management 
     Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or of the Forest Service 
     under the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (Public Law 
     94-588).

     SEC. 10403. OCEAN ENERGY SAFETY SERVICE.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department 
     of the Interior an Ocean Energy Safety Service (referred to 
     in this section as the ``Service''), which shall--
       (1) be headed by a Director of Energy Safety (referred to 
     in this section as the ``Director''); and
       (2) be administered under the direction of the Assistant 
     Secretary of Ocean Energy and Safety.
       (b) Director.--
       (1) Appointment.--The Director shall be appointed by the 
     Secretary of the Interior.
       (2) Compensation.--The Director shall be compensated at the 
     rate provided for level V of the Executive Schedule under 
     section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (c) Duties.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry 
     out through the Service all functions, powers, and duties 
     vested in the Secretary relating to the administration of 
     safety and environmental enforcement activities related to 
     offshore mineral and renewable energy resources on the Outer 
     Continental Shelf pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf 
     Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) including the authority to 
     develop, promulgate, and enforce regulations to ensure the 
     safe and sound exploration, development, and production of 
     mineral and renewable energy resources on the Outer 
     Continental Shelf in a timely fashion.
       (2) Specific authorities.--The Director shall be 
     responsible for all safety activities related to exploration 
     and development of renewable and mineral resources on the 
     Outer Continental Shelf, including--
       (A) exploration, development, production, and ongoing 
     inspections of infrastructure;
       (B) the suspending or prohibiting, on a temporary basis, 
     any operation or activity, including production under leases 
     held on the Outer Continental Shelf, in accordance with 
     section 5(a)(1) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1334(a)(1));
       (C) cancelling any lease, permit, or right-of-way on the 
     Outer Continental Shelf, in accordance with section 5(a)(2) 
     of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
     1334(a)(2));
       (D) compelling compliance with applicable Federal laws and 
     regulations relating to worker safety and other matters;
       (E) requiring comprehensive safety and environmental 
     management programs for persons engaged in activities 
     connected with the exploration, development, and production 
     of mineral or renewable energy resources;
       (F) developing and implementing regulations for Federal 
     employees to carry out any inspection or investigation to 
     ascertain compliance with applicable regulations, including 
     health, safety, or environmental regulations;
       (G) implementing the Offshore Technology Research and Risk 
     Assessment Program under section 21 of the Outer Continental 
     Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1347);
       (H) summoning witnesses and directing the production of 
     evidence;

[[Page H7827]]

       (I) levying fines and penalties and disqualifying 
     operators;
       (J) carrying out any safety, response, and removal 
     preparedness functions; and
       (K) the processing of permits, exploration plans, 
     development plans.
       (d) Employees.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
     inspection force of the Bureau consists of qualified, trained 
     employees who meet qualification requirements and adhere to 
     the highest professional and ethical standards.
       (2) Qualifications.--The qualification requirements 
     referred to in paragraph (1)--
       (A) shall be determined by the Secretary, subject to 
     subparagraph (B); and
       (B) shall include--
       (i) 3 years of practical experience in oil and gas 
     exploration, development, or production; or
       (ii) a degree in an appropriate field of engineering from 
     an accredited institution of higher learning.
       (3) Assignment.--In assigning oil and gas inspectors to the 
     inspection and investigation of individual operations, the 
     Secretary shall give due consideration to the extent possible 
     to their previous experience in the particular type of oil 
     and gas operation in which such inspections are to be made.
       (4) Background checks.--The Director shall require that an 
     individual to be hired as an inspection officer undergo an 
     employment investigation (including a criminal history record 
     check).
       (5) Language requirements.--Individuals hired as inspectors 
     must be able to read, speak, and write English well enough 
     to--
       (A) carry out written and oral instructions regarding the 
     proper performance of inspection duties; and
       (B) write inspection reports and statements and log entries 
     in the English language.
       (6) Veterans preference.--The Director shall provide a 
     preference for the hiring of an individual as a inspection 
     officer if the individual is a member or former member of the 
     Armed Forces and is entitled, under statute, to retired, 
     retirement, or retainer pay on account of service as a member 
     of the Armed Forces.
       (7) Annual proficiency review.--
       (A) Annual proficiency review.--The Director shall provide 
     that an annual evaluation of each individual assigned 
     inspection duties is conducted and documented.
       (B) Continuation of employment.--An individual employed as 
     an inspector may not continue to be employed in that capacity 
     unless the evaluation demonstrates that the individual--
       (i) continues to meet all qualifications and standards;
       (ii) has a satisfactory record of performance and attention 
     to duty based on the standards and requirements in the 
     inspection program; and
       (iii) demonstrates the current knowledge and skills 
     necessary to courteously, vigilantly, and effectively perform 
     inspection functions.
       (8) Limitation on right to strike.--Any individual that 
     conducts permitting or inspections under this section may not 
     participate in a strike, or assert the right to strike.
       (9) Personnel authority.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, the Director may employ, appoint, 
     discipline and terminate for cause, and fix the compensation, 
     terms, and conditions of employment of Federal service for 
     individuals as the employees of the Service in order to 
     restore and maintain the trust of the people of the United 
     States in the accountability of the management of our 
     Nation's energy safety program.
       (10) Training academy.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish and maintain 
     a National Offshore Energy Safety Academy (referred to in 
     this paragraph as the ``Academy'') as an agency of the Ocean 
     Energy Safety Service.
       (B) Functions of academy.--The Secretary, through the 
     Academy, shall be responsible for--
       (i) the initial and continued training of both newly hired 
     and experienced offshore oil and gas inspectors in all 
     aspects of health, safety, environmental, and operational 
     inspections;
       (ii) the training of technical support personnel of the 
     Bureau;
       (iii) any other training programs for offshore oil and gas 
     inspectors, Bureau personnel, Department personnel, or other 
     persons as the Secretary shall designate; and
       (iv) certification of the successful completion of training 
     programs for newly hired and experienced offshore oil and gas 
     inspectors.
       (C) Cooperative agreements.--
       (i) In general.--In performing functions under this 
     paragraph, and subject to clause (ii), the Secretary may 
     enter into cooperative educational and training agreements 
     with educational institutions, related Federal academies, 
     other Federal agencies, State governments, safety training 
     firms, and oil and gas operators and related industries.
       (ii) Training requirement.--Such training shall be 
     conducted by the Academy in accordance with curriculum needs 
     and assignment of instructional personnel established by the 
     Secretary.
       (11) Use of department personnel.--In performing functions 
     under this subsection, the Secretary shall use, to the extent 
     practicable, the facilities and personnel of the Department 
     of the Interior. The Secretary may appoint or assign to the 
     Academy such officers and employees as the Secretary 
     considers necessary for the performance of the duties and 
     functions of the Academy.
       (12) Additional training programs.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall work with appropriate 
     educational institutions, operators, and representatives of 
     oil and gas workers to develop and maintain adequate programs 
     with educational institutions and oil and gas operators that 
     are designed--
       (i) to enable persons to qualify for positions in the 
     administration of this title; and
       (ii) to provide for the continuing education of inspectors 
     or other appropriate Department of the Interior personnel.
       (B) Financial and technical assistance.--The Secretary may 
     provide financial and technical assistance to educational 
     institutions in carrying out this paragraph.
       (e) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not carry out through 
     the Service any function, power, or duty that is--
       (1) required by section 10402 to be carried out through 
     Bureau of Ocean Energy; or
       (2) required by section 10404 to be carried out through the 
     Office of Natural Resources Revenue.

     SEC. 10404. OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department 
     of the Interior an Office of Natural Resources Revenue 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Office'') to be headed 
     by a Director of Natural Resources Revenue (referred to in 
     this section as the ``Director'').
       (b) Appointment and Compensation.--
       (1) In general.--The Director shall be appointed by the 
     Secretary of the Interior.
       (2) Compensation.--The Director shall be compensated at the 
     rate provided for Level V of the Executive Schedule under 
     section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (c) Duties.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry 
     out, through the Office, all functions, powers, and duties 
     vested in the Secretary and relating to the administration of 
     offshore royalty and revenue management functions.
       (2) Specific authorities.--The Secretary shall carry out, 
     through the Office, all functions, powers, and duties 
     previously assigned to the Minerals Management Service 
     (including the authority to develop, promulgate, and enforce 
     regulations) regarding offshore royalty and revenue 
     collection; royalty and revenue distribution; auditing and 
     compliance; investigation and enforcement of royalty and 
     revenue regulations; and asset management for onshore and 
     offshore activities.
       (d) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not carry out through 
     the Office any function, power, or duty that is--
       (1) required by section 10402 to be carried out through 
     Bureau of Ocean Energy; or
       (2) required by section 10403 to be carried out through the 
     Ocean Energy Safety Service.

     SEC. 10405. ETHICS AND DRUG TESTING.

       (a) Certification.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     certify annually that all Department of the Interior officers 
     and employees having regular, direct contact with lessees, 
     contractors, concessionaires, and other businesses interested 
     before the Government as a function of their official duties, 
     or conducting investigations, issuing permits, or responsible 
     for oversight of energy programs, are in full compliance with 
     all Federal employee ethics laws and regulations under the 
     Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) and part 
     2635 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, and all 
     guidance issued under subsection (c).
       (b) Drug Testing.--The Secretary shall conduct a random 
     drug testing program of all Department of the Interior 
     personnel referred to in subsection (a).
       (c) Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 
     supplementary ethics and drug testing guidance for the 
     employees for which certification is required under 
     subsection (a). The Secretary shall update the supplementary 
     ethics guidance not less than once every 3 years thereafter.

     SEC. 10406. ABOLISHMENT OF MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE.

       (a) Abolishment.--The Minerals Management Service is 
     abolished.
       (b) Completed Administrative Actions.--
       (1) In general.--Completed administrative actions of the 
     Minerals Management Service shall not be affected by the 
     enactment of this Act, but shall continue in effect according 
     to their terms until amended, modified, superseded, 
     terminated, set aside, or revoked in accordance with law by 
     an officer of the United States or a court of competent 
     jurisdiction, or by operation of law.
       (2) Completed administrative action defined.--For purposes 
     of paragraph (1), the term ``completed administrative 
     action'' includes orders, determinations, memoranda of 
     understanding, memoranda of agreements, rules, regulations, 
     personnel actions, permits, agreements, grants, contracts, 
     certificates, licenses, registrations, and privileges.
       (c) Pending Proceedings.--Subject to the authority of the 
     Secretary of the Interior and the officers of the Department 
     of the Interior under this title--
       (1) pending proceedings in the Minerals Management Service, 
     including notices of proposed rulemaking, and applications 
     for licenses, permits, certificates, grants, and financial 
     assistance, shall continue, notwithstanding the enactment of 
     this Act or the vesting of functions of the Service in 
     another agency, unless discontinued or modified

[[Page H7828]]

     under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent 
     that such discontinuance or modification could have occurred 
     if this title had not been enacted; and
       (2) orders issued in such proceedings, and appeals 
     therefrom, and payments made pursuant to such orders, shall 
     issue in the same manner and on the same terms as if this 
     title had not been enacted, and any such orders shall 
     continue in effect until amended, modified, superseded, 
     terminated, set aside, or revoked by an officer of the United 
     States or a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation 
     of law.
       (d) Pending Civil Actions.--Subject to the authority of the 
     Secretary of the Interior or any officer of the Department of 
     the Interior under this title, pending civil actions shall 
     continue notwithstanding the enactment of this Act, and in 
     such civil actions, proceedings shall be had, appeals taken, 
     and judgments rendered and enforced in the same manner and 
     with the same effect as if such enactment had not occurred.
       (e) References.--References relating to the Minerals 
     Management Service in statutes, Executive orders, rules, 
     regulations, directives, or delegations of authority that 
     precede the effective date of this Act are deemed to refer, 
     as appropriate, to the Department, to its officers, 
     employees, or agents, or to its corresponding organizational 
     units or functions. Statutory reporting requirements that 
     applied in relation to the Minerals Management Service 
     immediately before the effective date of this title shall 
     continue to apply.

     SEC. 10407. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE PAY 
                   RATES.

       (a) Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and Minerals.--
     Section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to ``Under Secretaries of 
     the Treasury (3).'' the following:
       ``Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and Minerals, 
     Department of the Interior.''.
       (b) Assistant Secretaries.--Section 5315 of title 5, United 
     States Code, is amended by striking ``Assistant Secretaries 
     of the Interior (6).'' and inserting the following:
       ``Assistant Secretaries, Department of the Interior (7).''.
       (c) Directors.--Section 5316 of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking ``Director, Bureau of Mines, 
     Department of the Interior.'' and inserting the following new 
     items:
       ``Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy, Department of the 
     Interior.
       ``Director, Ocean Energy Safety Service, Department of the 
     Interior.
       ``Director, Office of Natural Resources Revenue, Department 
     of the Interior.''.

     SEC. 10408. OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ENERGY SAFETY ADVISORY 
                   BOARD.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     establish, under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, an Outer 
     Continental Shelf Energy Safety Advisory Board (referred to 
     in this section as the ``Board'')--
       (1) to provide the Secretary and the Directors established 
     by this title with independent scientific and technical 
     advice on safe, responsible, and timely mineral and renewable 
     energy exploration, development, and production activities; 
     and
       (2) to review operations of the National Offshore Energy 
     Health and Safety Academy established under section 10403(d), 
     including submitting to the Secretary recommendations of 
     curriculum to ensure training scientific and technical 
     advancements.
       (b) Membership.--
       (1) Size.--The Board shall consist of not more than 11 
     members, who--
       (A) shall be appointed by the Secretary based on their 
     expertise in oil and gas drilling, well design, operations, 
     well containment and oil spill response; and
       (B) must have significant scientific, engineering, 
     management, and other credentials and a history of working in 
     the field related to safe energy exploration, development, 
     and production activities.
       (2) Consultation and nominations.--The Secretary shall 
     consult with the National Academy of Sciences and the 
     National Academy of Engineering to identify potential 
     candidates for the Board and shall take nominations from the 
     public.
       (3) Term.--The Secretary shall appoint Board members to 
     staggered terms of not more than 4 years, and shall not 
     appoint a member for more than 2 consecutive terms.
       (4) Balance.--In appointing members to the Board, the 
     Secretary shall ensure a balanced representation of industry 
     and research interests.
       (c) Chair.--The Secretary shall appoint the Chair for the 
     Board from among its members.
       (d) Meetings.--The Board shall meet not less than 3 times 
     per year and shall host, at least once per year, a public 
     forum to review and assess the overall energy safety 
     performance of Outer Continental Shelf mineral and renewable 
     energy resource activities.
       (e) Offshore Drilling Safety Assessments and 
     Recommendations.--As part of its duties under this section, 
     the Board shall, by not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this section and every 5 years thereafter, 
     submit to the Secretary a report that--
       (1) assesses offshore oil and gas well control 
     technologies, practices, voluntary standards, and regulations 
     in the United States and elsewhere; and
       (2) as appropriate, recommends modifications to the 
     regulations issued under this title to ensure adequate 
     protection of safety and the environment, including 
     recommendations on how to reduce regulations and 
     administrative actions that are duplicative or unnecessary.
       (f) Reports.--Reports of the Board shall be submitted by 
     the Board to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
     or Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate and made available to the public in 
     electronically accessible form.
       (g) Travel Expenses.--Members of the Board, other than 
     full-time employees of the Federal Government, while 
     attending meeting of the Board or while otherwise serving at 
     the request of the Secretary or the Director while serving 
     away from their homes or regular places of business, may be 
     allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
     subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United 
     States Code, for individuals in the Government serving 
     without pay.

     SEC. 10409. OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF INSPECTION FEES.

       Section 22 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1348) is amended by adding at the end of the section 
     the following:
       ``(g) Inspection Fees.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     collect from the operators of facilities subject to 
     inspection under subsection (c) non-refundable fees for such 
     inspections--
       ``(A) at an aggregate level equal to the amount necessary 
     to offset the annual expenses of inspections of outer 
     Continental Shelf facilities (including mobile offshore 
     drilling units) by the Department of the Interior; and
       ``(B) using a schedule that reflects the differences in 
     complexity among the classes of facilities to be inspected.
       ``(2) Ocean energy safety fund.--There is established in 
     the Treasury a fund, to be known as the `Ocean Energy 
     Enforcement Fund' (referred to in this subsection as the 
     `Fund'), into which shall be deposited all amounts collected 
     as fees under paragraph (1) and which shall be available as 
     provided under paragraph (3).
       ``(3) Availability of fees.--
       ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 
     31, United States Code, all amounts deposited in the Fund--
       ``(i) shall be credited as offsetting collections;
       ``(ii) shall be available for expenditure for purposes of 
     carrying out inspections of outer Continental Shelf 
     facilities (including mobile offshore drilling units) and the 
     administration of the inspection program under this section;
       ``(iii) shall be available only to the extent provided for 
     in advance in an appropriations Act; and
       ``(iv) shall remain available until expended.
       ``(B) Use for field offices.--Not less than 75 percent of 
     amounts in the Fund may be appropriated for use only for the 
     respective Department of the Interior field offices where the 
     amounts were originally assessed as fees.
       ``(4) Initial fees.--Fees shall be established under this 
     subsection for the fiscal year in which this subsection takes 
     effect and the subsequent 10 years, and shall not be raised 
     without advise and consent of the Congress, except as 
     determined by the Secretary to be appropriate as an 
     adjustment equal to the percentage by which the Consumer 
     Price Index for the month of June of the calendar year 
     preceding the adjustment exceeds the Consumer Price Index for 
     the month of June of the calendar year in which the claim was 
     determined or last adjusted.
       ``(5) Annual fees.--Annual fees shall be collected under 
     this subsection for facilities that are above the waterline, 
     excluding drilling rigs, and are in place at the start of the 
     fiscal year. Fees for fiscal year 2013 shall be--
       ``(A) $10,500 for facilities with no wells, but with 
     processing equipment or gathering lines;
       ``(B) $17,000 for facilities with 1 to 10 wells, with any 
     combination of active or inactive wells; and
       ``(C) $31,500 for facilities with more than 10 wells, with 
     any combination of active or inactive wells.
       ``(6) Fees for drilling rigs.--Fees for drilling rigs shall 
     be assessed under this subsection for all inspections 
     completed in fiscal years 2015 through 2024. Fees for fiscal 
     year 2015 shall be--
       ``(A) $30,500 per inspection for rigs operating in water 
     depths of 1,000 feet or more; and
       ``(B) $16,700 per inspection for rigs operating in water 
     depths of less than 1,000 feet.
       ``(7) Billing.--The Secretary shall bill designated 
     operators under paragraph (5) within 60 days after the date 
     of the inspection, with payment required within 30 days of 
     billing. The Secretary shall bill designated operators under 
     paragraph (6) within 30 days of the end of the month in which 
     the inspection occurred, with payment required within 30 days 
     after billing.
       ``(8) Sunset.--No fee may be collected under this 
     subsection for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2024.
       ``(9) Annual reports.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the end of 
     each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2015, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural 
     Resources of the House of Representatives a report on the 
     operation of the Fund during the fiscal year.

[[Page H7829]]

       ``(B) Contents.--Each report shall include, for the fiscal 
     year covered by the report, the following:
       ``(i) A statement of the amounts deposited into the Fund.
       ``(ii) A description of the expenditures made from the Fund 
     for the fiscal year, including the purpose of the 
     expenditures and the additional hiring of personnel.
       ``(iii) A statement of the balance remaining in the Fund at 
     the end of the fiscal year.
       ``(iv) An accounting of pace of permit approvals.
       ``(v) If fee increases are proposed after the initial 10-
     year period referred to in paragraph (5), a proper accounting 
     of the potential adverse economic impacts such fee increases 
     will have on offshore economic activity and overall 
     production, conducted by the Secretary.
       ``(vi) Recommendations to increase the efficacy and 
     efficiency of offshore inspections.
       ``(vii) Any corrective actions levied upon offshore 
     inspectors as a result of any form of misconduct.''.

     SEC. 10410. PROHIBITION ON ACTION BASED ON NATIONAL OCEAN 
                   POLICY DEVELOPED UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 
                   13547.

       (a) Prohibition.--The Bureau of Ocean Energy and the Ocean 
     Energy Safety Service may not develop, propose, finalize, 
     administer, or implement, any limitation on activities under 
     their jurisdiction as a result of the coastal and marine 
     spatial planning component of the National Ocean Policy 
     developed under Executive Order No. 13547.
       (b) Report on Expenditures.--Not later than 60 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall submit 
     a report to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate identifying all Federal expenditures 
     in fiscal years 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 by the Bureau of 
     Ocean Energy and the Ocean Energy Safety Service and their 
     predecessor agencies, by agency, account, and any pertinent 
     subaccounts, for the development, administration, or 
     implementation of the coastal and marine spatial planning 
     component of the National Ocean Policy developed under 
     Executive Order No. 13547, including staff time, travel, and 
     other related expenses.

                 Subtitle E--United States Territories

     SEC. 10501. APPLICATION OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LANDS ACT 
                   WITH RESPECT TO TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED 
                   STATES.

       Section 2 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1331) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (a), by inserting after ``control'' the 
     following: ``or lying within the United States exclusive 
     economic zone and the Continental Shelf adjacent to any 
     territory of the United States'';
       (2) in paragraph (p), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon at the end;
       (3) in paragraph (q), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(r) The term `State' includes each territory of the 
     United States.''.

                  Subtitle F--Miscellaneous Provisions

     SEC. 10601. RULES REGARDING DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUES UNDER 
                   GULF OF MEXICO ENERGY SECURITY ACT OF 2006.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     issue rules to provide more clarity, certainty, and stability 
     to the revenue streams contemplated by the Gulf of Mexico 
     Energy Security Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 1331 note).
       (b) Contents.--The rules shall include clarification of the 
     timing and methods of disbursements of funds under section 
     105(b)(2) of such Act.

     SEC. 10602. AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTED QUALIFIED OUTER CONTINENTAL 
                   SHELF REVENUES.

       Section 105(f)(1) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act 
     of 2006 (title I of division C of Public Law 109-432; 43 
     U.S.C. 1331 note) shall be applied by substituting ``2024, 
     and shall not exceed $999,999,999 for each of fiscal years 
     2025 through 2055'' for ``2055''.

     SEC. 10603. SOUTH ATLANTIC OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF PLANNING 
                   AREA DEFINED.

       For the purposes of this Act, the Outer Continental Shelf 
     Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), and any regulations or 5-
     year plan issued under that Act, the term ``South Atlantic 
     Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area'' means the area of the 
     outer Continental Shelf (as defined in section 2 of that Act 
     (43 U.S.C. 1331)) that is located between the northern 
     lateral seaward administrative boundary of the State of 
     Virginia and the southernmost lateral seaward administrative 
     boundary of the State of Georgia.

     SEC. 10604. ENHANCING GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL INFORMATION 
                   FOR AMERICA'S ENERGY FUTURE.

       Section 11 of the Outer Continental Shelf lands Act (43 
     U.S.C. 1340) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(i) Enhancing Geological and Geophysical Information for 
     America's Energy Future.--
       ``(1) The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
     Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, shall facilitate and 
     support the practical study of geology and geophysics to 
     better understand the oil, gas, and other hydrocarbon 
     potential in the South Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf 
     Planning Area by entering into partnerships to conduct 
     geological and geophysical activities on the outer 
     Continental Shelf.
       ``(2)(A) No later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
     of the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works 
     Act of 2014, the Governors of the States of Georgia, South 
     Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia may each nominate for 
     participation in the partnerships--
       ``(i) one institution of higher education located within 
     the Governor's State; and
       ``(ii) one institution of higher education within the 
     Governor's State that is a historically black college or 
     university, as defined in section 631(a) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a)).
       ``(B) In making nominations, the Governors shall give 
     preference to those institutions of higher education that 
     demonstrate a vigorous rate of admission of veterans of the 
     Armed Forces of the United States.
       ``(3) The Secretary shall only select as a partner a 
     nominee that the Secretary determines demonstrates excellence 
     in geophysical sciences curriculum, engineering curriculum, 
     or information technology or other technical studies relating 
     to seismic research (including data processing).
       ``(4) Notwithstanding subsection (d), nominees selected as 
     partners by the Secretary may conduct geological and 
     geophysical activities under this section after filing a 
     notice with the Secretary 30-days prior to commencement of 
     the activity without any further authorization by the 
     Secretary except those activities that use solid or liquid 
     explosives shall require a permit. The Secretary may not 
     charge any fee for the provision of data or other information 
     collected under this authority, other than the cost of 
     duplicating any data or information provided. Nominees 
     selected as partners under this section shall provide to the 
     Secretary any data or other information collected under this 
     subsection within 60 days after completion of an initial 
     analysis of the data or other information collected, if so 
     requested by the Secretary.
       ``(5) Data or other information produced as a result of 
     activities conducted by nominees selected as partners under 
     this subsection shall not be used or shared for commercial 
     purposes by the nominee, may not be produced for proprietary 
     use or sale, and shall be made available by the Secretary to 
     the public.
       ``(6) The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
     reports on the data or other information produced under the 
     partnerships under this section. Such reports shall be made 
     no less frequently than every 180 days following the conduct 
     of the first geological and geophysical activities under this 
     section.
       ``(7) In this subsection the term `geological and 
     geophysical activities' means any oil- or gas-related 
     investigation conducted on the outer Continental Shelf, 
     including geophysical surveys where magnetic, gravity, 
     seismic, or other systems are used to detect or imply the 
     presence of oil or gas.''.

                      Subtitle G--Judicial Review

     SEC. 10701. TIME FOR FILING COMPLAINT.

       (a) In General.--Any cause of action that arises from a 
     covered energy decision must be filed not later than the end 
     of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the covered 
     energy decision. Any cause of action not filed within this 
     time period shall be barred.
       (b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to a cause 
     of action brought by a party to a covered energy lease.

     SEC. 10702. DISTRICT COURT DEADLINE.

       (a) In General.--All proceedings that are subject to 
     section 10701--
       (1) shall be brought in the United States district court 
     for the district in which the Federal property for which a 
     covered energy lease is issued is located or the United 
     States District Court of the District of Columbia;
       (2) shall be resolved as expeditiously as possible, and in 
     any event not more than 180 days after such cause or claim is 
     filed; and
       (3) shall take precedence over all other pending matters 
     before the district court.
       (b) Failure To Comply With Deadline.--If an interlocutory 
     or final judgment, decree, or order has not been issued by 
     the district court by the deadline described under this 
     section, the cause or claim shall be dismissed with prejudice 
     and all rights relating to such cause or claim shall be 
     terminated.

     SEC. 10703. ABILITY TO SEEK APPELLATE REVIEW.

       An interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order of the 
     district court in a proceeding that is subject to section 
     10701 may be reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 
     District of Columbia Circuit. The D.C. Circuit shall resolve 
     any such appeal as expeditiously as possible and, in any 
     event, not more than 180 days after such interlocutory or 
     final judgment, decree, or order of the district court was 
     issued.

     SEC. 10704. LIMITATION ON SCOPE OF REVIEW AND RELIEF.

       (a) Administrative Findings and Conclusions.--In any 
     judicial review of any Federal action under this subtitle, 
     any administrative findings and conclusions relating to the 
     challenged Federal action shall be presumed to be correct 
     unless shown otherwise by clear and convincing evidence 
     contained in the administrative record.
       (b) Limitation on Prospective Relief.--In any judicial 
     review of any action, or failure to act, under this subtitle, 
     the Court shall not grant or approve any prospective relief 
     unless the Court finds that such relief is narrowly drawn, 
     extends no further than necessary to correct the violation of 
     a Federal

[[Page H7830]]

     law requirement, and is the least intrusive means necessary 
     to correct the violation concerned.

     SEC. 10705. LEGAL FEES.

       Any person filing a petition seeking judicial review of any 
     action, or failure to act, under this subtitle who is not a 
     prevailing party shall pay to the prevailing parties 
     (including intervening parties), other than the United 
     States, fees and other expenses incurred by that party in 
     connection with the judicial review, unless the Court finds 
     that the position of the person was substantially justified 
     or that special circumstances make an award unjust.

     SEC. 10706. EXCLUSION.

       This subtitle shall not apply with respect to disputes 
     between the parties to a lease issued pursuant to an 
     authorizing leasing statute regarding the obligations of such 
     lease or the alleged breach thereof.

     SEC. 10707. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle, the following definitions apply:
       (1) Covered energy decision.--The term ``covered energy 
     decision'' means any action or decision by a Federal official 
     regarding the issuance of a covered energy lease.
       (2) Covered energy lease.--The term ``covered energy 
     lease'' means any lease under this title or under an oil and 
     gas leasing program under this title.

          TITLE II--ONSHORE FEDERAL LANDS AND ENERGY SECURITY

           Subtitle A--Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security

     SEC. 21001. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Federal Lands Jobs and 
     Energy Security Act''.

     SEC. 21002. POLICIES REGARDING BUYING, BUILDING, AND WORKING 
                   FOR AMERICA.

       (a) Congressional Intent.--It is the intent of the Congress 
     that--
       (1) this subtitle will support a healthy and growing United 
     States domestic energy sector that, in turn, helps to 
     reinvigorate American manufacturing, transportation, and 
     service sectors by employing the vast talents of United 
     States workers to assist in the development of energy from 
     domestic sources;
       (2) to ensure a robust onshore energy production industry 
     and ensure that the benefits of development support local 
     communities, under this subtitle, the Secretary shall make 
     every effort to promote the development of onshore American 
     energy, and shall take into consideration the socioeconomic 
     impacts, infrastructure requirements, and fiscal stability 
     for local communities located within areas containing onshore 
     energy resources; and
       (3) the Congress will monitor the deployment of personnel 
     and material onshore to encourage the development of American 
     manufacturing to enable United States workers to benefit from 
     this subtitle through good jobs and careers, as well as the 
     establishment of important industrial facilities to support 
     expanded access to American resources.
       (b) Requirement.--The Secretary of the Interior shall when 
     possible, and practicable, encourage the use of United States 
     workers and equipment manufactured in the United States in 
     all construction related to mineral resource development 
     under this subtitle.

           CHAPTER 1--ONSHORE OIL AND GAS PERMIT STREAMLINING

     SEC. 21101. SHORT TITLE.

       This chapter may be cited as the ``Streamlining Permitting 
     of American Energy Act of 2014''.

     Subchapter A--Application for Permits to Drill Process Reform

     SEC. 21111. PERMIT TO DRILL APPLICATION TIMELINE.

       Section 17(p)(2) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
     226(p)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(2) Applications for permits to drill reform and 
     process.--
       ``(A) Timeline.--The Secretary shall decide whether to 
     issue a permit to drill within 30 days after receiving an 
     application for the permit. The Secretary may extend such 
     period for up to 2 periods of 15 days each, if the Secretary 
     has given written notice of the delay to the applicant. The 
     notice shall be in the form of a letter from the Secretary or 
     a designee of the Secretary, and shall include the names and 
     titles of the persons processing the application, the 
     specific reasons for the delay, and a specific date a final 
     decision on the application is expected.
       ``(B) Notice of reasons for denial.--If the application is 
     denied, the Secretary shall provide the applicant--
       ``(i) in writing, clear and comprehensive reasons why the 
     application was not accepted and detailed information 
     concerning any deficiencies; and
       ``(ii) an opportunity to remedy any deficiencies.
       ``(C) Application deemed approved.--If the Secretary has 
     not made a decision on the application by the end of the 60-
     day period beginning on the date the application is received 
     by the Secretary, the application is deemed approved, except 
     in cases in which existing reviews under the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) or 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) are 
     incomplete.
       ``(D) Denial of permit.--If the Secretary decides not to 
     issue a permit to drill in accordance with subparagraph (A), 
     the Secretary shall--
       ``(i) provide to the applicant a description of the reasons 
     for the denial of the permit;
       ``(ii) allow the applicant to resubmit an application for a 
     permit to drill during the 10-day period beginning on the 
     date the applicant receives the description of the denial 
     from the Secretary; and
       ``(iii) issue or deny any resubmitted application not later 
     than 10 days after the date the application is submitted to 
     the Secretary.
       ``(E) Fee.--
       ``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding any other law, the 
     Secretary shall collect a single $6,500 permit processing fee 
     per application from each applicant at the time the final 
     decision is made whether to issue a permit under subparagraph 
     (A). This fee shall not apply to any resubmitted application.
       ``(ii) Treatment of permit processing fee.--Of all fees 
     collected under this paragraph, 50 percent shall be 
     transferred to the field office where they are collected and 
     used to process protests, leases, and permits under this Act 
     subject to appropriation.''.

       Subchapter B--Administrative Protest Documentation Reform

     SEC. 21121. ADMINISTRATIVE PROTEST DOCUMENTATION REFORM.

       Section 17(p) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(p)) 
     is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Protest fee.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall collect a $5,000 
     documentation fee to accompany each protest for a lease, 
     right of way, or application for permit to drill.
       ``(B) Treatment of fees.--Of all fees collected under this 
     paragraph, 50 percent shall remain in the field office where 
     they are collected and used to process protests subject to 
     appropriation.''.

                   Subchapter C--Permit Streamlining

     SEC. 21131. MAKING PILOT OFFICES PERMANENT TO IMPROVE ENERGY 
                   PERMITTING ON FEDERAL LANDS.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred 
     to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a 
     Federal Permit Streamlining Project (referred to in this 
     section as the ``Project'') in every Bureau of Land 
     Management field office with responsibility for permitting 
     energy projects on Federal land.
       (b) Memorandum of Understanding.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a 
     memorandum of understanding for purposes of this section 
     with--
       (A) the Secretary of Agriculture;
       (B) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency; and
       (C) the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers.
       (2) State participation.--The Secretary may request that 
     the Governor of any State with energy projects on Federal 
     lands to be a signatory to the memorandum of understanding.
       (c) Designation of Qualified Staff.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     the signing of the memorandum of understanding under 
     subsection (b), all Federal signatory parties shall, if 
     appropriate, assign to each of the Bureau of Land Management 
     field offices an employee who has expertise in the regulatory 
     issues relating to the office in which the employee is 
     employed, including, as applicable, particular expertise in--
       (A) the consultations and the preparation of biological 
     opinions under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 
     1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536);
       (B) permits under section 404 of Federal Water Pollution 
     Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344);
       (C) regulatory matters under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
     7401 et seq.);
       (D) planning under the National Forest Management Act of 
     1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a et seq.); and
       (E) the preparation of analyses under the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
       (2) Duties.--Each employee assigned under paragraph (1) 
     shall--
       (A) not later than 90 days after the date of assignment, 
     report to the Bureau of Land Management Field Managers in the 
     office to which the employee is assigned;
       (B) be responsible for all issues relating to the energy 
     projects that arise under the authorities of the employee's 
     home agency; and
       (C) participate as part of the team of personnel working on 
     proposed energy projects, planning, and environmental 
     analyses on Federal lands.
       (d) Additional Personnel.--The Secretary shall assign to 
     each Bureau of Land Management field office identified in 
     subsection (a) any additional personnel that are necessary to 
     ensure the effective approval and implementation of energy 
     projects administered by the Bureau of Land Management field 
     offices, including inspection and enforcement relating to 
     energy development on Federal land, in accordance with the 
     multiple use mandate of the Federal Land Policy and 
     Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
       (e) Funding.--Funding for the additional personnel shall 
     come from the Department of the Interior reforms identified 
     in sections 21111 and 21121.
       (f) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section affects--
       (1) the operation of any Federal or State law; or

[[Page H7831]]

       (2) any delegation of authority made by the head of a 
     Federal agency whose employees are participating in the 
     Project.
       (g) Definition.--For purposes of this section the term 
     ``energy projects'' includes oil, natural gas, and other 
     energy projects as defined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 21132. ADMINISTRATION OF CURRENT LAW.

       Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall not require a finding of extraordinary 
     circumstances in administering section 390 of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15942).

                     Subchapter D--Judicial Review

     SEC. 21141. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subchapter--
       (1) the term ``covered civil action'' means a civil action 
     containing a claim under section 702 of title 5, United 
     States Code, regarding agency action (as defined for the 
     purposes of that section) affecting a covered energy project 
     on Federal lands of the United States; and
       (2) the term ``covered energy project'' means the leasing 
     of Federal lands of the United States for the exploration, 
     development, production, processing, or transmission of oil, 
     natural gas, or any other source of energy, and any action 
     under such a lease, except that the term does not include any 
     disputes between the parties to a lease regarding the 
     obligations under such lease, including regarding any alleged 
     breach of the lease.

     SEC. 21142. EXCLUSIVE VENUE FOR CERTAIN CIVIL ACTIONS 
                   RELATING TO COVERED ENERGY PROJECTS.

       Venue for any covered civil action shall lie in the 
     district court where the project or leases exist or are 
     proposed.

     SEC. 21143. TIMELY FILING.

       To ensure timely redress by the courts, a covered civil 
     action must be filed no later than the end of the 90-day 
     period beginning on the date of the final Federal agency 
     action to which it relates.

     SEC. 21144. EXPEDITION IN HEARING AND DETERMINING THE ACTION.

       The court shall endeavor to hear and determine any covered 
     civil action as expeditiously as possible.

     SEC. 21145. STANDARD OF REVIEW.

       In any judicial review of a covered civil action, 
     administrative findings and conclusions relating to the 
     challenged Federal action or decision shall be presumed to be 
     correct, and the presumption may be rebutted only by the 
     preponderance of the evidence contained in the administrative 
     record.

     SEC. 21146. LIMITATION ON INJUNCTION AND PROSPECTIVE RELIEF.

       In a covered civil action, the court shall not grant or 
     approve any prospective relief unless the court finds that 
     such relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than 
     necessary to correct the violation of a legal requirement, 
     and is the least intrusive means necessary to correct that 
     violation. In addition, courts shall limit the duration of 
     preliminary injunctions to halt covered energy projects to no 
     more than 60 days, unless the court finds clear reasons to 
     extend the injunction. In such cases of extensions, such 
     extensions shall only be in 30-day increments and shall 
     require action by the court to renew the injunction.

     SEC. 21147. LIMITATION ON ATTORNEYS' FEES.

       Sections 504 of title 5, United States Code, and 2412 of 
     title 28, United States Code, (together commonly called the 
     Equal Access to Justice Act) do not apply to a covered civil 
     action, nor shall any party in such a covered civil action 
     receive payment from the Federal Government for their 
     attorneys' fees, expenses, and other court costs.

     SEC. 21148. LEGAL STANDING.

       Challengers filing appeals with the Department of the 
     Interior Board of Land Appeals shall meet the same standing 
     requirements as challengers before a United States district 
     court.

         Subchapter E--Knowing America's Oil and Gas Resources

     SEC. 21151. FUNDING OIL AND GAS RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     provide matching funding for joint projects with States to 
     conduct oil and gas resource assessments on Federal lands 
     with significant oil and gas potential.
       (b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     activities under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.
       (c) Resource Assessment.--Any resource assessment under 
     this section shall be conducted by a State, in consultation 
     with the United States Geological Survey.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
     a total of $50,000,000 for fiscal years 2015 through 2018.

                CHAPTER 2--OIL AND GAS LEASING CERTAINTY

     SEC. 21201. SHORT TITLE.

       This chapter may be cited as the ``Providing Leasing 
     Certainty for American Energy Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 21202. MINIMUM ACREAGE REQUIREMENT FOR ONSHORE LEASE 
                   SALES.

       In conducting lease sales as required by section 17(a) of 
     the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(a)), each year the 
     Secretary of the Interior shall perform the following:
       (1) The Secretary shall offer for sale no less than 25 
     percent of the annual nominated acreage not previously made 
     available for lease. Acreage offered for lease pursuant to 
     this paragraph shall not be subject to protest and shall be 
     eligible for categorical exclusions under section 390 of the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15942), except that it 
     shall not be subject to the test of extraordinary 
     circumstances.
       (2) In administering this section, the Secretary shall only 
     consider leasing of Federal lands that are available for 
     leasing at the time the lease sale occurs.

     SEC. 21203. LEASING CERTAINTY.

       Section 17(a) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 226(a)) 
     is amended by inserting ``(1)'' before ``All lands'', and by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall not withdraw any covered 
     energy project issued under this Act without finding a 
     violation of the terms of the lease by the lessee.
       ``(B) The Secretary shall not infringe upon lease rights 
     under leases issued under this Act by indefinitely delaying 
     issuance of project approvals, drilling and seismic permits, 
     and rights of way for activities under such a lease.
       ``(C) No later than 18 months after an area is designated 
     as open under the current land use plan the Secretary shall 
     make available nominated areas for lease under the criteria 
     in section 2.
       ``(D) Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary shall 
     issue all leases sold no later than 60 days after the last 
     payment is made.
       ``(E) The Secretary shall not cancel or withdraw any lease 
     parcel after a competitive lease sale has occurred and a 
     winning bidder has submitted the last payment for the parcel.
       ``(F) After the conclusion of the public comment period for 
     a planned competitive lease sale, the Secretary shall not 
     cancel, defer, or withdraw any lease parcel announced to be 
     auctioned in the lease sale.
       ``(G) Not later than 60 days after a lease sale held under 
     this Act, the Secretary shall adjudicate any lease protests 
     filed following a lease sale. If after 60 days any protest is 
     left unsettled, said protest is automatically denied and 
     appeal rights of the protestor begin.
       ``(H) No additional lease stipulations may be added after 
     the parcel is sold without consultation and agreement of the 
     lessee, unless the Secretary deems such stipulations as 
     emergency actions to conserve the resources of the United 
     States.''.

     SEC. 21204. LEASING CONSISTENCY.

       Federal land managers must follow existing resource 
     management plans and continue to actively lease in areas 
     designated as open when resource management plans are being 
     amended or revised, until such time as a new record of 
     decision is signed.

     SEC. 21205. REDUCE REDUNDANT POLICIES.

       Bureau of Land Management Instruction Memorandum 2010-117 
     shall have no force or effect.

     SEC. 21206. STREAMLINED CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.

       Section 31(e) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 188(e)) 
     is amended in the matter following paragraph (4) by striking 
     ``at least thirty days in advance of the reinstatement'' and 
     inserting ``in an annual report''.

                          CHAPTER 3--OIL SHALE

     SEC. 21301. SHORT TITLE.

       This chapter may be cited as the ``Protecting Investment in 
     Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and 
     Resource Security Act'' or the ``PIONEERS Act''.

     SEC. 21302. EFFECTIVENESS OF OIL SHALE REGULATIONS, 
                   AMENDMENTS TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND 
                   RECORD OF DECISION.

       (a) Regulations.--Notwithstanding any other law or 
     regulation to the contrary, the final regulations regarding 
     oil shale management published by the Bureau of Land 
     Management on November 18, 2008 (73 Fed. Reg. 69,414) are 
     deemed to satisfy all legal and procedural requirements under 
     any law, including the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
     of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Endangered Species Act 
     of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
     and the Secretary of the Interior shall implement those 
     regulations, including the oil shale leasing program 
     authorized by the regulations, without any other 
     administrative action necessary.
       (b) Amendments to Resource Management Plans and Record of 
     Decision.--Notwithstanding any other law or regulation to the 
     contrary, the November 17, 2008 U.S. Bureau of Land 
     Management Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments/
     Record of Decision for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources to 
     Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming 
     and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement are 
     deemed to satisfy all legal and procedural requirements under 
     any law, including the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
     of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Endangered Species Act 
     of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
     and the Secretary of the Interior shall implement the oil 
     shale leasing program authorized by the regulations referred 
     to in subsection (a) in those areas covered by the resource 
     management plans amended by such amendments, and covered by 
     such record of decision, without any other administrative 
     action necessary.

     SEC. 21303. OIL SHALE LEASING.

       (a) Additional Research and Development Lease Sales.--The 
     Secretary of the Interior shall hold a lease sale within 180 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act offering an 
     additional 10 parcels for lease for research, development, 
     and demonstration of

[[Page H7832]]

     oil shale resources, under the terms offered in the 
     solicitation of bids for such leases published on January 15, 
     2009 (74 Fed. Reg. 10).
       (b) Commercial Lease Sales.--No later than January 1, 2016, 
     the Secretary of the Interior shall hold no less than 5 
     separate commercial lease sales in areas considered to have 
     the most potential for oil shale development, as determined 
     by the Secretary, in areas nominated through public comment. 
     Each lease sale shall be for an area of not less than 25,000 
     acres, and in multiple lease blocs.

                  CHAPTER 4--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SEC. 21401. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to authorize 
     the issuance of a lease under the Mineral Leasing Act (30 
     U.S.C. 181 et seq.) to any person designated for the 
     imposition of sanctions pursuant to--
       (1) the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), 
     the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and 
     Divestiture Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.), the Iran 
     Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 
     U.S.C. 8701 et seq.), section 1245 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a), or 
     the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (22 
     U.S.C. 8801 et seq.);
       (2) Executive Order No. 13622 (July 30, 2012), Executive 
     Order No. 13628 (October 9, 2012), or Executive Order No. 
     13645 (June 3, 2013);
       (3) Executive Order No. 13224 (September 23, 2001) or 
     Executive Order No. 13338 (May 11, 2004); or
       (4) the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 
     Restoration Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note).

                Subtitle B--Planning for American Energy

     SEC. 22001. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Planning for American 
     Energy Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 22002. ONSHORE DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION STRATEGIC 
                   PLAN.

       (a) In General.--The Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et 
     seq.) is amended by redesignating section 44 as section 45, 
     and by inserting after section 43 the following:

     ``SEC. 44. QUADRENNIAL STRATEGIC FEDERAL ONSHORE ENERGY 
                   PRODUCTION STRATEGY.

       ``(a) In General.--
       ``(1) The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this 
     section referred to as `Secretary'), in consultation with the 
     Secretary of Agriculture with regard to lands administered by 
     the Forest Service, shall develop and publish every 4 years a 
     Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy. This 
     Strategy shall direct Federal land energy development and 
     department resource allocation in order to promote the energy 
     and national security of the United States in accordance with 
     Bureau of Land Management's mission of promoting the multiple 
     use of Federal lands as set forth in the Federal Land Policy 
     and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
       ``(2) In developing this Strategy, the Secretary shall 
     consult with the Administrator of the Energy Information 
     Administration on the projected energy demands of the United 
     States for the next 30-year period, and how energy derived 
     from Federal onshore lands can put the United States on a 
     trajectory to meet that demand during the next 4-year period. 
     The Secretary shall consider how Federal lands will 
     contribute to ensuring national energy security, with a goal 
     for increasing energy independence and production, during the 
     next 4-year period.
       ``(3) The Secretary shall determine a domestic strategic 
     production objective for the development of energy resources 
     from Federal onshore lands. Such objective shall be--
       ``(A) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
     production of oil and natural gas from the Federal onshore 
     mineral estate, with a focus on lands held by the Bureau of 
     Land Management and the Forest Service;
       ``(B) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic coal 
     production from Federal lands;
       ``(C) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
     production of strategic and critical energy minerals from the 
     Federal onshore mineral estate;
       ``(D) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in megawatts for 
     electricity production from each of the following sources: 
     wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal energy 
     produced on Federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land 
     Management and the Forest Service;
       ``(E) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in unconventional 
     energy production, such as oil shale;
       ``(F) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
     production of oil, natural gas, coal, and other renewable 
     sources from tribal lands for any federally recognized Indian 
     tribe that elects to participate in facilitating energy 
     production on its lands;
       ``(G) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in production of 
     helium on Federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land 
     Management and the Forest Service; and
       ``(H) the best estimate, based upon commercial and 
     scientific data, of the expected increase in domestic 
     production of geothermal, solar, wind, or other renewable 
     energy sources from `available lands' (as such term is 
     defined in section 203 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 
     1920 (42 Stat. 108 et seq.), and including any other lands 
     deemed by the Territory or State of Hawaii, as the case may 
     be, to be included within that definition) that the agency or 
     department of the government of the State of Hawaii that is 
     responsible for the administration of such lands selects to 
     be used for such energy production.
       ``(4) The Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of 
     the Energy Information Administration regarding the 
     methodology used to arrive at its estimates for purposes of 
     this section.
       ``(5) The Secretary has the authority to expand the energy 
     development plan to include other energy production 
     technology sources or advancements in energy on Federal 
     lands.
       ``(6) The Secretary shall include in the Strategy a plan 
     for addressing new demands for transmission lines and 
     pipelines for distribution of oil and gas across Federal 
     lands to ensure that energy produced can be distributed to 
     areas of need.
       ``(b) Tribal Objectives.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     federally recognized Indian tribes may elect to set their own 
     production objectives as part of the Strategy under this 
     section. The Secretary shall work in cooperation with any 
     federally recognized Indian tribe that elects to participate 
     in achieving its own strategic energy objectives designated 
     under this subsection.
       ``(c) Execution of the Strategy.--The relevant Secretary 
     shall have all necessary authority to make determinations 
     regarding which additional lands will be made available in 
     order to meet the production objectives established by 
     strategies under this section. The Secretary shall also take 
     all necessary actions to achieve these production objectives 
     unless the President determines that it is not in the 
     national security and economic interests of the United States 
     to increase Federal domestic energy production and to further 
     decrease dependence upon foreign sources of energy. In 
     administering this section, the relevant Secretary shall only 
     consider leasing Federal lands available for leasing at the 
     time the lease sale occurs.
       ``(d) State, Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, Local 
     Government, and Public Input.--In developing each strategy, 
     the Secretary shall solicit the input of affected States, 
     federally recognized Indian tribes, local governments, and 
     the public.
       ``(e) Reporting.--The Secretary shall report annually to 
     the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate on the progress of meeting the 
     production goals set forth in the strategy. The Secretary 
     shall identify in the report projections for production and 
     capacity installations and any problems with leasing, 
     permitting, siting, or production that will prevent meeting 
     the goal. In addition, the Secretary shall make suggestions 
     to help meet any shortfalls in meeting the production goals.
       ``(f) Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.--Not 
     later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this 
     section, in accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the 
     Secretary shall complete a programmatic environmental impact 
     statement. This programmatic environmental impact statement 
     will be deemed sufficient to comply with all requirements 
     under that Act for all necessary resource management and land 
     use plans associated with the implementation of the strategy.
       ``(g) Congressional Review.--At least 60 days prior to 
     publishing a proposed strategy under this section, the 
     Secretary shall submit it to the President and the Congress, 
     together with any comments received from States, federally 
     recognized Indian tribes, and local governments. Such 
     submission shall indicate why any specific recommendation of 
     a State, federally recognized Indian tribe, or local 
     government was not accepted.
       ``(h) Strategic and Critical Energy Minerals Defined.--For 
     purposes of this section, the term `strategic and critical 
     energy minerals' means those that are necessary for the 
     Nation's energy infrastructure including pipelines, refining 
     capacity, electrical power generation and transmission, and 
     renewable energy production and those that are necessary to 
     support domestic manufacturing, including but not limited to, 
     materials used in energy generation, production, and 
     transportation.''.
       (b) First Quadrennial Strategy.--Not later than 18 months 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall submit to Congress the first Quadrennial 
     Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy under the 
     amendment made by subsection (a).

        Subtitle C--National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Access

     SEC. 23001. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``National Petroleum 
     Reserve Alaska Access Act''.

     SEC. 23002. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND REAFFIRMING NATIONAL POLICY 
                   FOR THE NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska remains 
     explicitly designated, both in name and legal status, for 
     purposes of providing oil and natural gas resources to the 
     United States; and

[[Page H7833]]

       (2) accordingly, the national policy is to actively advance 
     oil and gas development within the Reserve by facilitating 
     the expeditious exploration, production, and transportation 
     of oil and natural gas from and through the Reserve.

     SEC. 23003. NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA: LEASE 
                   SALES.

       Section 107(a) of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production 
     Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6506a(a)) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
     expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas in 
     the reserve in accordance with this Act. Such program shall 
     include at least one lease sale annually in those areas of 
     the reserve most likely to produce commercial quantities of 
     oil and natural gas each year in the period 2014 through 
     2024.''.

     SEC. 23004. NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA: PLANNING 
                   AND PERMITTING PIPELINE AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 
     other appropriate Federal agencies, shall facilitate and 
     ensure permits, in a timely and environmentally responsible 
     manner, for all surface development activities, including for 
     the construction of pipelines and roads, necessary to--
       (1) develop and bring into production any areas within the 
     National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska that are subject to oil 
     and gas leases; and
       (2) transport oil and gas from and through the National 
     Petroleum Reserve in Alaska in the most direct manner 
     possible to existing transportation or processing 
     infrastructure on the North Slope of Alaska.
       (b) Timeline.--The Secretary shall ensure that any Federal 
     permitting agency shall issue permits in accordance with the 
     following timeline:
       (1) Permits for such construction for transportation of oil 
     and natural gas produced under existing Federal oil and gas 
     leases with respect to which the Secretary has issued a 
     permit to drill shall be approved within 60 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act.
       (2) Permits for such construction for transportation of oil 
     and natural gas produced under Federal oil and gas leases 
     shall be approved within 6 months after the submission to the 
     Secretary of a request for a permit to drill.
       (c) Plan.--To ensure timely future development of the 
     Reserve, within 270 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to 
     Congress a plan for approved rights-of-way for a plan for 
     pipeline, road, and any other surface infrastructure that may 
     be necessary infrastructure that will ensure that all 
     leasable tracts in the Reserve are within 25 miles of an 
     approved road and pipeline right-of-way that can serve future 
     development of the Reserve.

     SEC. 23005. ISSUANCE OF A NEW INTEGRATED ACTIVITY PLAN AND 
                   ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

       (a) Issuance of New Integrated Activity Plan.--The 
     Secretary of the Interior shall, within 180 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, issue--
       (1) a new proposed integrated activity plan from among the 
     non-adopted alternatives in the National Petroleum Reserve 
     Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision issued by 
     the Secretary of the Interior and dated February 21, 2013; 
     and
       (2) an environmental impact statement under section 
     102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
     (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) for issuance of oil and gas leases in 
     the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to promote efficient 
     and maximum development of oil and natural gas resources of 
     such reserve.
       (b) Nullification of Existing Record of Decision, IAP, and 
     EIS.--Except as provided in subsection (a), the National 
     Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of 
     Decision issued by the Secretary of the Interior and dated 
     February 21, 2013, including the integrated activity plan and 
     environmental impact statement referred to in that record of 
     decision, shall have no force or effect.

     SEC. 23006. DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT.

       The Secretary of the Interior shall issue regulations not 
     later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act 
     that establish clear requirements to ensure that the 
     Department of the Interior is supporting development of oil 
     and gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

     SEC. 23007. DEADLINES UNDER NEW PROPOSED INTEGRATED ACTIVITY 
                   PLAN.

       At a minimum, the new proposed integrated activity plan 
     issued under section 23005(a)(1) shall--
       (1) require the Department of the Interior to respond 
     within 5 business days to a person who submits an application 
     for a permit for development of oil and natural gas leases in 
     the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska acknowledging receipt 
     of such application; and
       (2) establish a timeline for the processing of each such 
     application, that--
       (A) specifies deadlines for decisions and actions on permit 
     applications; and
       (B) provide that the period for issuing each permit after 
     submission of such an application shall not exceed 60 days 
     without the concurrence of the applicant.

     SEC. 23008. UPDATED RESOURCE ASSESSMENT.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     complete a comprehensive assessment of all technically 
     recoverable fossil fuel resources within the National 
     Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, including all conventional and 
     unconventional oil and natural gas.
       (b) Cooperation and Consultation.--The resource assessment 
     required by subsection (a) shall be carried out by the United 
     States Geological Survey in cooperation and consultation with 
     the State of Alaska and the American Association of Petroleum 
     Geologists.
       (c) Timing.--The resource assessment required by subsection 
     (a) shall be completed within 24 months of the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (d) Funding.--The United States Geological Survey may, in 
     carrying out the duties under this section, cooperatively use 
     resources and funds provided by the State of Alaska.

                 Subtitle D--BLM Live Internet Auctions

     SEC. 24001. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``BLM Live Internet 
     Auctions Act''.

     SEC. 24002. INTERNET-BASED ONSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALES.

       (a) Authorization.--Section 17(b)(1) of the Mineral Leasing 
     Act (30 U.S.C. 226(b)(1)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), in the third sentence, by 
     inserting ``, except as provided in subparagraph (C)'' after 
     ``by oral bidding''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) In order to diversify and expand the Nation's onshore 
     leasing program to ensure the best return to the Federal 
     taxpayer, reduce fraud, and secure the leasing process, the 
     Secretary may conduct onshore lease sales through Internet-
     based bidding methods. Each individual Internet-based lease 
     sale shall conclude within 7 days.''.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the tenth 
     Internet-based lease sale conducted under the amendment made 
     by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     analyze the first 10 such lease sales and report to Congress 
     the findings of the analysis. The report shall include--
       (1) estimates on increases or decreases in such lease 
     sales, compared to sales conducted by oral bidding, in--
       (A) the number of bidders;
       (B) the average amount of bid;
       (C) the highest amount bid; and
       (D) the lowest bid;
       (2) an estimate on the total cost or savings to the 
     Department of the Interior as a result of such sales, 
     compared to sales conducted by oral bidding; and
       (3) an evaluation of the demonstrated or expected 
     effectiveness of different structures for lease sales which 
     may provide an opportunity to better maximize bidder 
     participation, ensure the highest return to the Federal 
     taxpayers, minimize opportunities for fraud or collusion, and 
     ensure the security and integrity of the leasing process.

                   Subtitle E--Native American Energy

     SEC. 25001. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Native American Energy 
     Act''.

     SEC. 25002. APPRAISALS.

       (a) Amendment.--Title XXVI of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 
     (25 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 2607. APPRAISAL REFORMS.

       ``(a) Options to Indian Tribes.--With respect to a 
     transaction involving Indian land or the trust assets of an 
     Indian tribe that requires the approval of the Secretary, any 
     appraisal relating to fair market value required to be 
     conducted under applicable law, regulation, or policy may be 
     completed by--
       ``(1) the Secretary;
       ``(2) the affected Indian tribe; or
       ``(3) a certified, third-party appraiser pursuant to a 
     contract with the Indian tribe.
       ``(b) Time Limit on Secretarial Review and Action.--Not 
     later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary 
     receives an appraisal conducted by or for an Indian tribe 
     pursuant to paragraphs (2) or (3) of subsection (a), the 
     Secretary shall--
       ``(1) review the appraisal; and
       ``(2) provide to the Indian tribe a written notice of 
     approval or disapproval of the appraisal.
       ``(c) Failure of Secretary To Approve or Disapprove.--If, 
     after 60 days, the Secretary has failed to approve or 
     disapprove any appraisal received, the appraisal shall be 
     deemed approved.
       ``(d) Option to Indian Tribes To Waive Appraisal.--
       ``(1) An Indian tribe wishing to waive the requirements of 
     subsection (a), may do so after it has satisfied the 
     requirements of subsections (2) and (3) below.
       ``(2) An Indian tribe wishing to forego the necessity of a 
     waiver pursuant to this section must provide to the Secretary 
     a written resolution, statement, or other unambiguous 
     indication of tribal intent, duly approved by the governing 
     body of the Indian tribe.
       ``(3) The unambiguous indication of intent provided by the 
     Indian tribe to the Secretary under paragraph (2) must 
     include an express waiver by the Indian tribe of any claims 
     for damages it might have against the United States as a 
     result of the lack of an appraisal undertaken.
       ``(e) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
     term `appraisal' includes appraisals and other estimates of 
     value.
       ``(f) Regulations.--The Secretary shall develop regulations 
     for implementing this section, including standards the 
     Secretary shall

[[Page H7834]]

     use for approving or disapproving an appraisal.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the 
     Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 13201 note) is amended 
     by adding at the end of the items relating to title XXVI the 
     following:

``Sec. 2607. Appraisal reforms.''.

     SEC. 25003. STANDARDIZATION.

       As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall implement 
     procedures to ensure that each agency within the Department 
     of the Interior that is involved in the review, approval, and 
     oversight of oil and gas activities on Indian lands shall use 
     a uniform system of reference numbers and tracking systems 
     for oil and gas wells.

     SEC. 25004. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS OF MAJOR FEDERAL ACTIONS ON 
                   INDIAN LANDS.

       Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
     1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) is amended by inserting ``(a) In 
     General.--'' before the first sentence, and by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(b) Review of Major Federal Actions on Indian Lands.--
       ``(1) In general.--For any major Federal action on Indian 
     lands of an Indian tribe requiring the preparation of a 
     statement under subsection (a)(2)(C), the statement shall 
     only be available for review and comment by the members of 
     the Indian tribe and by any other individual residing within 
     the affected area.
       ``(2) Regulations.--The Chairman of the Council on 
     Environmental Quality shall develop regulations to implement 
     this section, including descriptions of affected areas for 
     specific major Federal actions, in consultation with Indian 
     tribes.
       ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection, each of the terms 
     `Indian land' and `Indian tribe' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 2601 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 
     U.S.C. 3501).
       ``(4) Clarification of authority.--Nothing in the Native 
     American Energy Act, except section 25006 of that Act, shall 
     give the Secretary any additional authority over energy 
     projects on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act lands.''.

     SEC. 25005. JUDICIAL REVIEW.

       (a) Time for Filing Complaint.--Any energy related action 
     must be filed not later than the end of the 60-day period 
     beginning on the date of the final agency action. Any energy 
     related action not filed within this time period shall be 
     barred.
       (b) District Court Venue and Deadline.--All energy related 
     actions--
       (1) shall be brought in the United States District Court 
     for the District of Columbia; and
       (2) shall be resolved as expeditiously as possible, and in 
     any event not more than 180 days after such cause of action 
     is filed.
       (c) Appellate Review.--An interlocutory order or final 
     judgment, decree or order of the district court in an energy 
     related action may be reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals 
     for the District of Columbia Circuit. The D.C. Circuit Court 
     of Appeals shall resolve such appeal as expeditiously as 
     possible, and in any event not more than 180 days after such 
     interlocutory order or final judgment, decree or order of the 
     district court was issued.
       (d) Limitation on Certain Payments.--Notwithstanding 
     section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, no award may be 
     made under section 504 of title 5, United States Code, or 
     under section 2412 of title 28, United States Code, and no 
     amounts may be obligated or expended from the Claims and 
     Judgment Fund of the United States Treasury to pay any fees 
     or other expenses under such sections, to any person or party 
     in an energy related action.
       (e) Legal Fees.--In any energy related action in which the 
     plaintiff does not ultimately prevail, the court shall award 
     to the defendant (including any intervenor-defendants), other 
     than the United States, fees and other expenses incurred by 
     that party in connection with the energy related action, 
     unless the court finds that the position of the plaintiff was 
     substantially justified or that special circumstances make an 
     award unjust. Whether or not the position of the plaintiff 
     was substantially justified shall be determined on the basis 
     of the administrative record, as a whole, which is made in 
     the energy related action for which fees and other expenses 
     are sought.
       (f) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section, the 
     following definitions apply:
       (1) Agency action.--The term ``agency action'' has the same 
     meaning given such term in section 551 of title 5, United 
     States Code.
       (2) Indian land.--The term ``Indian Land'' has the same 
     meaning given such term in section 203(c)(3) of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58; 25 U.S.C. 3501), 
     including lands owned by Native Corporations under the Alaska 
     Native Claims Settlement Act (Public Law 92-203; 43 U.S.C. 
     1601).
       (3) Energy related action.--The term ``energy related 
     action'' means a cause of action that--
       (A) is filed on or after the effective date of this Act; 
     and
       (B) seeks judicial review of a final agency action to issue 
     a permit, license, or other form of agency permission 
     allowing:
       (i) any person or entity to conduct activities on Indian 
     Land, which activities involve the exploration, development, 
     production or transportation of oil, gas, coal, shale gas, 
     oil shale, geothermal resources, wind or solar resources, 
     underground coal gasification, biomass, or the generation of 
     electricity; or
       (ii) any Indian Tribe, or any organization of two or more 
     entities, at least one of which is an Indian tribe, to 
     conduct activities involving the exploration, development, 
     production or transportation of oil, gas, coal, shale gas, 
     oil shale, geothermal resources, wind or solar resources, 
     underground coal gasification, biomass, or the generation of 
     electricity, regardless of where such activities are 
     undertaken.
       (4) Ultimately prevail.--The phrase ``ultimately prevail'' 
     means, in a final enforceable judgment, the court rules in 
     the party's favor on at least one cause of action which is an 
     underlying rationale for the preliminary injunction, 
     administrative stay, or other relief requested by the party, 
     and does not include circumstances where the final agency 
     action is modified or amended by the issuing agency unless 
     such modification or amendment is required pursuant to a 
     final enforceable judgment of the court or a court-ordered 
     consent decree.

     SEC. 25006. TRIBAL BIOMASS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

       The Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 is amended by 
     inserting after section 2 (25 U.S.C. 3115a) the following:

     ``SEC. 3. TRIBAL BIOMASS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

       ``(a) In General.--For each of fiscal years 2014 through 
     2018, the Secretary shall enter into stewardship contracts or 
     other agreements, other than agreements that are exclusively 
     direct service contracts, with Indian tribes to carry out 
     demonstration projects to promote biomass energy production 
     (including biofuel, heat, and electricity generation) on 
     Indian forest land and in nearby communities by providing 
     reliable supplies of woody biomass from Federal land.
       ``(b) Definitions.--The definitions in section 2 shall 
     apply to this section.
       ``(c) Demonstration Projects.--In each fiscal year for 
     which projects are authorized, the Secretary shall enter into 
     contracts or other agreements described in subsection (a) to 
     carry out at least 4 new demonstration projects that meet the 
     eligibility criteria described in subsection (d).
       ``(d) Eligibility Criteria.--To be eligible to enter into a 
     contract or other agreement under this subsection, an Indian 
     tribe shall submit to the Secretary an application--
       ``(1) containing such information as the Secretary may 
     require; and
       ``(2) that includes a description of--
       ``(A) the Indian forest land or rangeland under the 
     jurisdiction of the Indian tribe; and
       ``(B) the demonstration project proposed to be carried out 
     by the Indian tribe.
       ``(e) Selection.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
     under subsection (c), the Secretary--
       ``(1) shall take into consideration the factors set forth 
     in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 2(e) of Public Law 108-
     278; and whether a proposed demonstration project would--
       ``(A) increase the availability or reliability of local or 
     regional energy;
       ``(B) enhance the economic development of the Indian tribe;
       ``(C) improve the connection of electric power transmission 
     facilities serving the Indian tribe with other electric 
     transmission facilities;
       ``(D) improve the forest health or watersheds of Federal 
     land or Indian forest land or rangeland; or
       ``(E) otherwise promote the use of woody biomass; and
       ``(2) shall exclude from consideration any merchantable 
     logs that have been identified by the Secretary for 
     commercial sale.
       ``(f) Implementation.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(1) ensure that the criteria described in subsection (c) 
     are publicly available by not later than 120 days after the 
     date of enactment of this section; and
       ``(2) to the maximum extent practicable, consult with 
     Indian tribes and appropriate intertribal organizations 
     likely to be affected in developing the application and 
     otherwise carrying out this section.
       ``(g) Report.--Not later than September 20, 2015, the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes, 
     with respect to the reporting period--
       ``(1) each individual tribal application received under 
     this section; and
       ``(2) each contract and agreement entered into pursuant to 
     this section.
       ``(h) Incorporation of Management Plans.--In carrying out a 
     contract or agreement under this section, on receipt of a 
     request from an Indian tribe, the Secretary shall incorporate 
     into the contract or agreement, to the extent practicable, 
     management plans (including forest management and integrated 
     resource management plans) in effect on the Indian forest 
     land or rangeland of the respective Indian tribe.
       ``(i) Term.--A stewardship contract or other agreement 
     entered into under this section--
       ``(1) shall be for a term of not more than 20 years; and
       ``(2) may be renewed in accordance with this section for 
     not more than an additional 10 years.''.

     SEC. 25007. TRIBAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS.

       Unless otherwise explicitly exempted by Federal law enacted 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, any activity 
     conducted or resources harvested or produced pursuant to a 
     tribal resource management plan or an

[[Page H7835]]

     integrated resource management plan approved by the Secretary 
     of the Interior under the National Indian Forest Resources 
     Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) or the American 
     Indian Agricultural Resource Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3701 
     et seq.), shall be considered a sustainable management 
     practice for purposes of any Federal standard, benefit, or 
     requirement that requires a demonstration of such 
     sustainability.

     SEC. 25008. LEASES OF RESTRICTED LANDS FOR THE NAVAJO NATION.

       Subsection (e)(1) of the first section of the Act of August 
     9, 1955 (25 U.S.C. 415(e)(1); commonly referred to as the 
     ``Long-Term Leasing Act''), is amended--
       (1) by striking ``, except a lease for'' and inserting ``, 
     including leases for'';
       (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``25'' the first place 
     it appears and all that follows and inserting ``99 years;'';
       (3) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) in the case of a lease for the exploration, 
     development, or extraction of mineral resources, including 
     geothermal resources, 25 years, except that any such lease 
     may include an option to renew for one additional term not to 
     exceed 25 years.''.

     SEC. 25009. NONAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN RULES.

       No rule promulgated by the Department of the Interior 
     regarding hydraulic fracturing used in the development or 
     production of oil or gas resources shall have any effect on 
     any land held in trust or restricted status for the benefit 
     of Indians except with the express consent of the beneficiary 
     on whose behalf such land is held in trust or restricted 
     status.

                  TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SEC. 30101. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF ENERGY EMPLOYMENT AND 
                   TRAINING.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     establish an Office of Energy Employment and Training, which 
     shall oversee the hiring and training efforts of the 
     Department of the Interior's energy planning, permitting, and 
     regulatory agencies.
       (b) Director.--
       (1) In general.--The Office shall be under the direction of 
     a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Employment and 
     Training, who shall report directly to the Assistant 
     Secretary for Energy, Lands and Minerals Management, and 
     shall be fully employed to carry out the functions of the 
     Office.
       (2) Duties.--The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy 
     Employment and Training shall perform the following 
     functions:
       (A) Develop and implement systems to track the Department's 
     hiring of trained skilled workers in the energy permitting 
     and inspection agencies.
       (B) Design and recommend to the Secretary programs and 
     policies aimed at expanding the Department's hiring of women, 
     minorities, and veterans into the Department's workforce 
     dealing with energy permitting and inspection programs. Such 
     programs and policies shall include--
       (i) recruiting at historically black colleges and 
     universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, women's 
     colleges, and colleges that typically serve majority minority 
     populations;
       (ii) sponsoring and recruiting at job fairs in urban 
     communities;
       (iii) placing employment advertisements in newspapers and 
     magazines oriented toward minorities, veterans, and women;
       (iv) partnering with organizations that are focused on 
     developing opportunities for minorities, veterans, and women 
     to be placed in Departmental internships, summer employment, 
     and full-time positions relating to energy;
       (v) where feasible, partnering with inner-city high 
     schools, girls' high schools, and high schools with majority 
     minority populations to demonstrate career opportunities and 
     the path to those opportunities available at the Department;
       (vi) coordinating with the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     and the Department of Defense in the hiring of veterans; and
       (vii) any other mass media communications that the Deputy 
     Assistant Secretary determines necessary to advertise, 
     promote, or educate about opportunities at the Department.
       (C) Develop standards for--
       (i) equal employment opportunity and the racial, ethnic, 
     and gender diversity of the workforce and senior management 
     of the Department; and
       (ii) increased participation of minority-owned, veteran-
     owned, and women-owned businesses in the programs and 
     contracts with the Department.
       (D) Review and propose for adoption the best practices of 
     entities regulated by the Department with regards to hiring 
     and diversity policies, and publish those best practices for 
     public review.
       (c) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress an 
     annual report regarding the actions taken by the Department 
     of the Interior agency and the Office pursuant to this 
     section, which shall include--
       (1) a statement of the total amounts paid by the Department 
     to minority contractors;
       (2) the successes achieved and challenges faced by the 
     Department in operating minority, veteran or service-disabled 
     veteran, and women outreach programs;
       (3) the challenges the Department may face in hiring 
     minority, veteran, and women employees and contracting with 
     veteran or service-disabled veteran, minority-owned, and 
     women-owned businesses; and
       (4) any other information, findings, conclusions, and 
     recommendations for legislative or Department action, as the 
     Director determines appropriate.
       (d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the 
     following definitions shall apply:
       (1) Minority.--The term ``minority'' means United States 
     citizens who are Asian Indian American, Asian Pacific 
     American, Black American, Hispanic American, or Native 
     American.
       (2) Minority-owned business.--The term ``minority-owned 
     business'' means a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, 
     physically located in the United States or its trust 
     territories, that is owned, operated, and controlled by 
     minority group members. ``Minority group members'' are United 
     States citizens who are Asian Indian American, Asian Pacific 
     American, Black American, Hispanic American, or Native 
     American (terminology in NMSDC categories). Ownership by 
     minority individuals means the business is at least 51 
     percent owned by such individuals or, in the case of a 
     publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock is 
     owned by one or more such individuals. Further, the 
     management and daily operations are controlled by those 
     minority group members. For purposes of NMSDC's program, a 
     minority group member is an individual who is a United States 
     citizen with at least \1/4\ or 25 percent minimum 
     (documentation to support claim of 25 percent required from 
     applicant) of one or more of the following:
       (A) Asian Indian American, which is a United States citizen 
     whose origins are from India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.
       (B) Asian Pacific American, which is a United States 
     citizen whose origins are from Japan, China, Indonesia, 
     Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the 
     Philippines, Thailand, Samoa, Guam, the United States Trust 
     Territories of the Pacific, or the Northern Marianas.
       (C) Black American, which is a United States citizen having 
     origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
       (D) Hispanic American, which is a United States citizen of 
     true-born Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking 
     areas of the following regions: Mexico, Central America, 
     South America, and the Caribbean Basin only.
       (E) Native American, which means a United States citizen 
     enrolled to a federally recognized tribe, or a Native as 
     defined under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
       (3) NMSDC.--The term ``NMSDC'' means the National Minority 
     Supplier Development Council.
       (4) Women-owned business.--The term ``women-owned 
     business'' means a business that can verify through evidence 
     documentation that 51 percent or more is women-owned, 
     managed, and controlled. The business must be open for at 
     least 6 months. The business owner must be a United States 
     citizen or legal resident alien. Evidence must indicate 
     that--
       (A) the contribution of capital or expertise by the woman 
     business owner is real and substantial and in proportion to 
     the interest owned;
       (B) the woman business owner directs or causes the 
     direction of management, policy, fiscal, and operational 
     matters; and
       (C) the woman business owner has the ability to perform in 
     the area of specialty or expertise without reliance on either 
     the finances or resources of a firm that is not owned by a 
     woman.
       (5) Service disabled veteran.--The term ``Service Disabled 
     Veteran'' must have a service-connected disability that has 
     been determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs or 
     Department of Defense. The SDVOSBC must be small under the 
     North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 
     assigned to the procurement; the SDV must unconditionally own 
     51 percent of the SDVOSBC; the SDVO must control the 
     management and daily operations of the SDVOSBC; and the SDV 
     must hold the highest officer position in the SDVOSBC.
       (6) Veteran-owned business.--The term ``veteran-owned 
     business'' means a business that can verify through evidence 
     documentation that 51 percent or more is veteran-owned, 
     managed, and controlled. The business must be open for at 
     least 6 months. The business owner must be a United States 
     citizen or legal resident alien and honorably or service-
     connected disability discharged from service.

  SUBDIVISION B--BUREAU OF RECLAMATION CONDUIT HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT 
                          EQUITY AND JOBS ACT

     SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This subdivision may be cited as the ``Bureau of 
     Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENT.

       Section 9 of the Act entitled ``An Act authorizing 
     construction of water conservation and utilization projects 
     in the Great Plains and arid semiarid areas of the United 
     States'', approved August 11, 1939 (16 U.S.C. 590z-7; 
     commonly known as the ``Water Conservation and Utilization 
     Act''), is amended--
       (1) by striking ``In connection with'' and inserting ``(a) 
     In connection with''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary is 
     authorized to enter into leases of power privileges for 
     electric power generation in connection with any project 
     constructed under this Act, and shall have authority in 
     addition to and alternative to any

[[Page H7836]]

     authority in existing laws relating to particular projects, 
     including small conduit hydropower development.
       ``(c) When entering into leases of power privileges under 
     subsection (b), the Secretary shall use the processes 
     applicable to such leases under section 9(c) of the 
     Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(c)).
       ``(d) Lease of power privilege contracts shall be at such 
     rates as, in the Secretary's judgment, will produce revenues 
     at least sufficient to cover the appropriate share of the 
     annual operation and maintenance cost of the project and such 
     fixed charges, including interest, as the Secretary deems 
     proper. Lease of power privilege contracts shall be for 
     periods not to exceed 40 years.
       ``(e) No findings under section 3 shall be required for a 
     lease under subsection (b).
       ``(f) All right, title, and interest to installed power 
     facilities constructed by non-Federal entities pursuant to a 
     lease of power privilege, and direct revenues derived 
     therefrom, shall remain with the lessee unless otherwise 
     required under subsection (g).
       ``(g) Notwithstanding section 8, lease revenues and fixed 
     charges, if any, shall be covered into the Reclamation Fund 
     to be credited to the project from which those revenues or 
     charges were derived.
       ``(h) When carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
     first offer the lease of power privilege to an irrigation 
     district or water users association operating the applicable 
     transferred conduit, or to the irrigation district or water 
     users association receiving water from the applicable 
     reserved conduit. The Secretary shall determine a reasonable 
     timeframe for the irrigation district or water users 
     association to accept or reject a lease of power privilege 
     offer. If the irrigation district or water users association 
     elects not to accept a lease of power privilege offer under 
     subsection (b), the Secretary shall offer the lease of power 
     privilege to other parties using the processes applicable to 
     such leases under section 9(c) of the Reclamation Project Act 
     of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(c)).
       ``(i) The Bureau of Reclamation shall apply its categorical 
     exclusion process under the National Environmental Policy Act 
     of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) to small conduit hydropower 
     development under this section, excluding siting of 
     associated transmission facilities on Federal lands.
       ``(j) Nothing in this section shall obligate the Western 
     Area Power Administration or the Bonneville Power 
     Administration to purchase or market any of the power 
     produced by the facilities covered under this section and 
     none of the costs associated with production or delivery of 
     such power shall be assigned to project purposes for 
     inclusion in project rates.
       ``(k) Nothing in this section shall alter or impede the 
     delivery and management of water by Bureau of Reclamation 
     facilities, as water used for conduit hydropower generation 
     shall be deemed incidental to use of water for the original 
     project purposes. Lease of power privilege shall be made only 
     when, in the judgment of the Secretary, the exercise of the 
     lease will not be incompatible with the purposes of the 
     project or division involved and shall not create any 
     unmitigated financial or physical impacts to the project or 
     division involved. The Secretary shall notify and consult 
     with the irrigation district or legally organized water users 
     association operating the transferred conduit in advance of 
     offering the lease of power privilege and shall prescribe 
     such terms and conditions necessary to adequately protect the 
     planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and 
     other interests of the United States and the project or 
     division involved.
       ``(l) Nothing in this section shall alter or affect any 
     agreements in effect on the date of the enactment of the 
     Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity 
     and Jobs Act for the development of conduit hydropower 
     projects or disposition of revenues.
       ``(m) In this section:
       ``(1) The term `conduit' means any Bureau of Reclamation 
     tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar 
     manmade water conveyance that is operated for the 
     distribution of water for agricultural, municipal, or 
     industrial consumption and not primarily for the generation 
     of electricity.
       ``(2) The term `irrigation district' means any irrigation, 
     water conservation or conservancy, multi-county water 
     conservation or conservancy district, or any separate public 
     entity composed of two or more such districts and jointly 
     exercising powers of its member districts.
       ``(3) The term `reserved conduit' means any conduit that is 
     included in project works the care, operation, and 
     maintenance of which has been reserved by the Secretary, 
     through the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.
       ``(4) The term `transferred conduit' means any conduit that 
     is included in project works the care, operation, and 
     maintenance of which has been transferred to a legally 
     organized water users association or irrigation district.
       ``(5) The term `small conduit hydropower' means a facility 
     capable of producing 5 megawatts or less of electric 
     capacity.''.

       SUBDIVISION C--CENTRAL OREGON JOBS AND WATER SECURITY ACT

     SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This subdivision may be cited as the ``Central Oregon Jobs 
     and Water Security Act''.

     SEC. 2. WILD AND SCENIC RIVER; CROOKED, OREGON.

       Section 3(a)(72) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1274(a)(72)) is amended as follows:
       (1) By striking ``15-mile'' and inserting ``14.75-mile''.
       (2) In subparagraph (B)--
       (A) by striking ``8-mile'' and all that follows through 
     ``Bowman Dam'' and inserting ``7.75-mile segment from a point 
     one-quarter mile downstream from the toe of Bowman Dam''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following: ``The developer for 
     any hydropower development, including turbines and 
     appurtenant facilities, at Bowman Dam, in consultation with 
     the Bureau of Land Management, shall analyze any impacts to 
     the Outstandingly Remarkable Values of the Wild and Scenic 
     River that may be caused by such development, including the 
     future need to undertake routine and emergency repairs, and 
     shall propose mitigation for any impacts as part of any 
     license application submitted to the Federal Energy 
     Regulatory Commission.''.

     SEC. 3. CITY OF PRINEVILLE WATER SUPPLY.

       Section 4 of the Act of August 6, 1956 (70 Stat. 1058), (as 
     amended by the Acts of September 14, 1959 (73 Stat. 554), and 
     September 18, 1964 (78 Stat. 954)) is further amended as 
     follows:
       (1) By striking ``ten cubic feet'' the first place it 
     appears and inserting ``17 cubic feet''.
       (2) By striking ``during those months when there is no 
     other discharge therefrom, but this release may be reduced 
     for brief temporary periods by the Secretary whenever he may 
     find that release of the full ten cubic feet per second is 
     harmful to the primary purpose of the project''.
       (3) By adding at the end the following: ``Without further 
     action by the Secretary, and as determined necessary for any 
     given year by the City of Prineville, up to seven of the 17 
     cubic feet per second minimum release shall also serve as 
     mitigation for City of Prineville groundwater pumping, 
     pursuant to and in a manner consistent with Oregon State law, 
     including any shaping of the release of the up to seven cubic 
     feet per second to coincide with City of Prineville 
     groundwater pumping as may be required by the State of 
     Oregon. As such, the Secretary is authorized to make 
     applications to the State of Oregon in conjunction with the 
     City to protect these supplies instream. The City shall make 
     payment to the Secretary for that portion of the minimum 
     release that actually serves as mitigation pursuant to Oregon 
     State law for the City in any given year, with the payment 
     for any given year equal to the amount of mitigation in acre 
     feet required to offset actual City groundwater pumping for 
     that year in accordance with Reclamation `Water and Related 
     Contract and Repayment Principles and Requirements', 
     Reclamation Manual Directives and Standards PEC 05-01, dated 
     09/12/2006, and guided by `Economic and Environmental 
     Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land 
     Resources Implementation Studies', dated March 10, 1983. The 
     Secretary is authorized to contract exclusively with the City 
     for additional amounts in the future at the request of the 
     City.''.

     SEC. 4. FIRST FILL PROTECTION.

       The Act of August 6, 1956 (70 Stat. 1058), as amended by 
     the Acts of September 14, 1959 (73 Stat. 554), and September 
     18, 1964 (78 Stat. 954), is further amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``Sec. 6.  Other than the 17 cubic feet per second release 
     provided for in section 4, and subject to compliance with the 
     Army Corps of Engineers' flood curve requirements, the 
     Secretary shall, on a `first fill' priority basis, store in 
     and release from Prineville Reservoir, whether from 
     carryover, infill, or a combination thereof, the following:
       ``(1) 68,273 acre feet of water annually to fulfill all 16 
     Bureau of Reclamation contracts existing as of January 1, 
     2011, and up to 2,740 acre feet of water annually to supply 
     the McKay Creek lands as provided for in section 5 of this 
     Act.
       ``(2) Not more than 10,000 acre feet of water annually, to 
     be made available to the North Unit Irrigation District 
     pursuant to a Temporary Water Service Contract, upon the 
     request of the North Unit Irrigation District, consistent 
     with the same terms and conditions as prior such contracts 
     between the District and the Bureau of Reclamation.
       ``Sec. 7.  Except as otherwise provided in this Act, 
     nothing in this Act--
       ``(1) modifies contractual rights that may exist between 
     contractors and the United States under Reclamation 
     contracts;
       ``(2) amends or reopens contracts referred to in paragraph 
     (1); or
       ``(3) modifies any rights, obligations, or requirements 
     that may be provided or governed by Oregon State law.''.

     SEC. 5. OCHOCO IRRIGATION DISTRICT.

       (a) Early Repayment.--Notwithstanding section 213 of the 
     Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (43 U.S.C. 390mm), any 
     landowner within Ochoco Irrigation District in Oregon, may 
     repay, at any time, the construction costs of the project 
     facilities allocated to that landowner's lands within the 
     district. Upon discharge, in full, of the obligation for 
     repayment of the construction costs allocated to all lands 
     the landowner owns in the district, those lands shall not be 
     subject to the ownership and full-cost pricing limitations of 
     the Act of June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.), and Acts 
     supplemental to and amendatory of that Act, including the 
     Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (43 U.S.C. 390aa et seq.).

[[Page H7837]]

       (b) Certification.--Upon the request of a landowner who has 
     repaid, in full, the construction costs of the project 
     facilities allocated to that landowner's lands owned within 
     the district, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide the 
     certification provided for in subsection (b)(1) of section 
     213 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (43 U.S.C. 
     390mm(b)(1)).
       (c) Contract Amendment.--On approval of the district 
     directors and notwithstanding project authorizing legislation 
     to the contrary, the district's reclamation contracts are 
     modified, without further action by the Secretary of the 
     Interior, to--
       (1) authorize the use of water for instream purposes, 
     including fish or wildlife purposes, in order for the 
     district to engage in, or take advantage of, conserved water 
     projects and temporary instream leasing as authorized by 
     Oregon State law;
       (2) include within the district boundary approximately 
     2,742 acres in the vicinity of McKay Creek, resulting in a 
     total of approximately 44,937 acres within the district 
     boundary;
       (3) classify as irrigable approximately 685 acres within 
     the approximately 2,742 acres of included lands in the 
     vicinity of McKay Creek, where the approximately 685 acres 
     are authorized to receive irrigation water pursuant to water 
     rights issued by the State of Oregon and have in the past 
     received water pursuant to such State water rights; and
       (4) provide the district with stored water from Prineville 
     Reservoir for purposes of supplying up to the approximately 
     685 acres of lands added within the district boundary and 
     classified as irrigable under paragraphs (2) and (3), with 
     such stored water to be supplied on an acre-per-acre basis 
     contingent on the transfer of existing appurtenant McKay 
     Creek water rights to instream use and the State's issuance 
     of water rights for the use of stored water.
       (d) Limitation.--Except as otherwise provided in 
     subsections (a) and (c), nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to--
       (1) modify contractual rights that may exist between the 
     district and the United States under the district's 
     Reclamation contracts;
       (2) amend or reopen the contracts referred to in paragraph 
     (1); or
       (3) modify any rights, obligations or relationships that 
     may exist between the district and its landowners as may be 
     provided or governed by Oregon State law.

SUBDIVISION D--STATE AUTHORITY FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING REGULATION; EPA 
                     HYDRAULIC FRACTURING RESEARCH

      TITLE I--STATE AUTHORITY FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING REGULATION

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Protecting States' Rights 
     to Promote American Energy Security Act''.

     SEC. 102. STATE AUTHORITY FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING 
                   REGULATION.

       The Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended 
     by redesignating section 44 as section 45, and by inserting 
     after section 43 the following:

     ``SEC. 44. STATE AUTHORITY FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING 
                   REGULATION.

       ``(a) In General.--The Department of the Interior shall not 
     enforce any Federal regulation, guidance, or permit 
     requirement regarding hydraulic fracturing, or any component 
     of that process, relating to oil, gas, or geothermal 
     production activities on or under any land in any State that 
     has regulations, guidance, or permit requirements for that 
     activity.
       ``(b) State Authority.--The Department of the Interior 
     shall recognize and defer to State regulations, permitting, 
     and guidance, for all activities related to hydraulic 
     fracturing, or any component of that process, relating to 
     oil, gas, or geothermal production activities on Federal 
     land.
       ``(c) Transparency of State Regulations.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each State shall submit to the Bureau of 
     Land Management a copy of its regulations that apply to 
     hydraulic fracturing operations on Federal land.
       ``(2) Availability.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     make available to the public State regulations submitted 
     under this subsection.
       ``(d) Transparency of State Disclosure Requirements.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each State shall submit to the Bureau of 
     Land Management a copy of any regulations of the State that 
     require disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing 
     operations on Federal land.
       ``(2) Availability.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     make available to the public State regulations submitted 
     under this subsection.
       ``(e) Hydraulic Fracturing Defined.--In this section the 
     term `hydraulic fracturing' means the process by which 
     fracturing fluids (or a fracturing fluid system) are pumped 
     into an underground geologic formation at a calculated, 
     predetermined rate and pressure to generate fractures or 
     cracks in the target formation and thereby increase the 
     permeability of the rock near the wellbore and improve 
     production of natural gas or oil.''.

     SEC. 103. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY.

       (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study examining the economic benefits of 
     domestic shale oil and gas production resulting from the 
     process of hydraulic fracturing. This study will include 
     identification of--
       (1) State and Federal revenue generated as a result of 
     shale gas production;
       (2) jobs created both directly and indirectly as a result 
     of shale oil and gas production; and
       (3) an estimate of potential energy prices without domestic 
     shale oil and gas production.
       (b) Report.--The Comptroller General shall submit a report 
     on the findings of such study to the Committee on Natural 
     Resources of the House of Representatives within 30 days 
     after completion of the study.

     SEC. 104. TRIBAL AUTHORITY ON TRUST LAND.

       The Department of the Interior shall not enforce any 
     Federal regulation, guidance, or permit requirement regarding 
     the process of hydraulic fracturing (as that term is defined 
     in section 44 of the Mineral Leasing Act, as amended by 
     section 102 of this Act), or any component of that process, 
     relating to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities on 
     any land held in trust or restricted status for the benefit 
     of Indians except with the express consent of the beneficiary 
     on whose behalf such land is held in trust or restricted 
     status.

              TITLE II--EPA HYDRAULIC FRACTURING RESEARCH

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``EPA Hydraulic Fracturing 
     Study Improvement Act''.

     SEC. 202. EPA HYDRAULIC FRACTURING RESEARCH.

       In conducting its study of the potential impacts of 
     hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, with 
     respect to which a request for information was issued under 
     Federal Register Vol. 77, No. 218, the Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency shall adhere to the following 
     requirements:
       (1) Peer review and information quality.--Prior to issuance 
     and dissemination of any final report or any interim report 
     summarizing the Environmental Protection Agency's research on 
     the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking 
     water, the Administrator shall--
       (A) consider such reports to be Highly Influential 
     Scientific Assessments and require peer review of such 
     reports in accordance with guidelines governing such 
     assessments, as described in--
       (i) the Environmental Protection Agency's Peer Review 
     Handbook 3rd Edition;
       (ii) the Environmental Protection Agency's Scientific 
     Integrity Policy, as in effect on the date of enactment of 
     this Act; and
       (iii) the Office of Management and Budget's Peer Review 
     Bulletin, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act; 
     and
       (B) require such reports to meet the standards and 
     procedures for the dissemination of influential scientific, 
     financial, or statistical information set forth in the 
     Environmental Protection Agency's Guidelines for Ensuring and 
     Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity 
     of Information Disseminated by the Environmental Protection 
     Agency, developed in response to guidelines issued by the 
     Office of Management and Budget under section 515(a) of the 
     Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal 
     Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554).
       (2) Probability, uncertainty, and consequence.--In order to 
     maximize the quality and utility of information developed 
     through the study, the Administrator shall ensure that 
     identification of the possible impacts of hydraulic 
     fracturing on drinking water resources included in such 
     reports be accompanied by objective estimates of the 
     probability, uncertainty, and consequence of each identified 
     impact, taking into account the risk management practices of 
     States and industry. Estimates or descriptions of 
     probability, uncertainty, and consequence shall be as 
     quantitative as possible given the validity, accuracy, 
     precision, and other quality attributes of the underlying 
     data and analyses, but no more quantitative than the data and 
     analyses can support.
       (3) Release of final report.--The final report shall be 
     publicly released by September 30, 2016.

                  TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SEC. 301. REVIEW OF STATE ACTIVITIES.

       The Secretary of the Interior shall annually review and 
     report to Congress on all State activities relating to 
     hydraulic fracturing.

 SUBDIVISION E--PREVENTING GOVERNMENT WASTE AND PROTECTING COAL MINING 
                            JOBS IN AMERICA

     SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This subdivision may be cited as the ``Preventing 
     Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in 
     America''.

     SEC. 2. INCORPORATION OF SURFACE MINING STREAM BUFFER ZONE 
                   RULE INTO STATE PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Section 503 of the Surface Mining Control 
     and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1253) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Stream Buffer Zone Management.--
       ``(1) In general.--In addition to the requirements under 
     subsection (a), each State program shall incorporate the 
     necessary rule regarding excess spoil, coal mine waste, and 
     buffers for perennial and intermittent streams published by 
     the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement on 
     December 12, 2008 (73 Fed. Reg. 75813 et seq.) which complies 
     with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
     seq.) in view of the 2006 discussions between the Director of

[[Page H7838]]

     the Office of Surface Mining and the Director of the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of Surface 
     Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's consideration and review 
     of comments submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service during the rulemaking process in 2007.
       ``(2) Study of implementation.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(A) at such time as the Secretary determines all States 
     referred to in subsection (a) have fully incorporated the 
     necessary rule referred to in paragraph (1) of this 
     subsection into their State programs, publish notice of such 
     determination;
       ``(B) during the 5-year period beginning on the date of 
     such publication, assess the effectiveness of implementation 
     of such rule by such States;
       ``(C) carry out all required consultation on the benefits 
     and other impacts of the implementation of the rule to any 
     threatened species or endangered species, with the 
     participation of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
     and the United States Geological Survey; and
       ``(D) upon the conclusion of such period, submit a 
     comprehensive report on the impacts of such rule to the 
     Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate, including--
       ``(i) an evaluation of the effectiveness of such rule;
       ``(ii) an evaluation of any ways in which the existing rule 
     inhibits energy production; and
       ``(iii) a description in detail of any proposed changes 
     that should be made to the rule, the justification for such 
     changes, all comments on such changes received by the 
     Secretary from such States, and the projected costs and 
     benefits of such changes.
       ``(3) Limitation on new regulations.--The Secretary may not 
     issue any regulations under this Act relating to stream 
     buffer zones or stream protection before the date of the 
     publication of the report under paragraph (2), other than a 
     rule necessary to implement paragraph (1).''.
       (b) Deadline for State Implementation.--Not later than 2 
     years after the date of the enactment of this Act, a State 
     with a State program approved under section 503 of the 
     Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 
     1253) shall submit to the Secretary of the Interior 
     amendments to such program pursuant to part 732 of title 30, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, incorporating the necessary rule 
     referred to in subsection (e)(1) of such section, as amended 
     by this section.

                         DIVISION C--JUDICIARY

     SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This division may be cited as the ``Responsibly And 
     Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2014'' or as 
     the ``RAPID Act''.

     SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF AGENCY ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS FOR 
                   EFFICIENT DECISIONMAKING.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 5 of part 1 of title 5, United 
     States Code, is amended by inserting after subchapter II the 
     following:

    ``SUBCHAPTER IIA--INTERAGENCY COORDINATION REGARDING PERMITTING

     ``Sec. 560. Coordination of agency administrative operations 
       for efficient decisionmaking

       ``(a) Congressional Declaration of Purpose.--The purpose of 
     this subchapter is to establish a framework and procedures to 
     streamline, increase the efficiency of, and enhance 
     coordination of agency administration of the regulatory 
     review, environmental decisionmaking, and permitting process 
     for projects undertaken, reviewed, or funded by Federal 
     agencies. This subchapter will ensure that agencies 
     administer the regulatory process in a manner that is 
     efficient so that citizens are not burdened with regulatory 
     excuses and time delays.
       ``(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this subchapter, the 
     term--
       ``(1) `agency' means any agency, department, or other unit 
     of Federal, State, local, or Indian tribal government;
       ``(2) `category of projects' means 2 or more projects 
     related by project type, potential environmental impacts, 
     geographic location, or another similar project feature or 
     characteristic;
       ``(3) `environmental assessment' means a concise public 
     document for which a Federal agency is responsible that 
     serves to--
       ``(A) briefly provide sufficient evidence and analysis for 
     determining whether to prepare an environmental impact 
     statement or a finding of no significant impact;
       ``(B) aid an agency's compliance with NEPA when no 
     environmental impact statement is necessary; and
       ``(C) facilitate preparation of an environmental impact 
     statement when one is necessary;
       ``(4) `environmental impact statement' means the detailed 
     statement of significant environmental impacts required to be 
     prepared under NEPA;
       ``(5) `environmental review' means the Federal agency 
     procedures for preparing an environmental impact statement, 
     environmental assessment, categorical exclusion, or other 
     document under NEPA;
       ``(6) `environmental decisionmaking process' means the 
     Federal agency procedures for undertaking and completion of 
     any environmental permit, decision, approval, review, or 
     study under any Federal law other than NEPA for a project 
     subject to an environmental review;
       ``(7) `environmental document' means an environmental 
     assessment or environmental impact statement, and includes 
     any supplemental document or document prepared pursuant to a 
     court order;
       ``(8) `finding of no significant impact' means a document 
     by a Federal agency briefly presenting the reasons why a 
     project, not otherwise subject to a categorical exclusion, 
     will not have a significant effect on the human environment 
     and for which an environmental impact statement therefore 
     will not be prepared;
       ``(9) `lead agency' means the Federal agency preparing or 
     responsible for preparing the environmental document;
       ``(10) `NEPA' means the National Environmental Policy Act 
     of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
       ``(11) `project' means major Federal actions that are 
     construction activities undertaken with Federal funds or that 
     are construction activities that require approval by a permit 
     or regulatory decision issued by a Federal agency;
       ``(12) `project sponsor' means the agency or other entity, 
     including any private or public-private entity, that seeks 
     approval for a project or is otherwise responsible for 
     undertaking a project; and
       ``(13) `record of decision' means a document prepared by a 
     lead agency under NEPA following an environmental impact 
     statement that states the lead agency's decision, identifies 
     the alternatives considered by the agency in reaching its 
     decision and states whether all practicable means to avoid or 
     minimize environmental harm from the alternative selected 
     have been adopted, and if not, why they were not adopted.
       ``(c) Preparation of Environmental Documents.--Upon the 
     request of the lead agency, the project sponsor shall be 
     authorized to prepare any document for purposes of an 
     environmental review required in support of any project or 
     approval by the lead agency if the lead agency furnishes 
     oversight in such preparation and independently evaluates 
     such document and the document is approved and adopted by the 
     lead agency prior to taking any action or making any approval 
     based on such document.
       ``(d) Adoption and Use of Documents.--
       ``(1) Documents prepared under nepa.--
       ``(A) Not more than 1 environmental impact statement and 1 
     environmental assessment shall be prepared under NEPA for a 
     project (except for supplemental environmental documents 
     prepared under NEPA or environmental documents prepared 
     pursuant to a court order), and, except as otherwise provided 
     by law, the lead agency shall prepare the environmental 
     impact statement or environmental assessment. After the lead 
     agency issues a record of decision, no Federal agency 
     responsible for making any approval for that project may rely 
     on a document other than the environmental document prepared 
     by the lead agency.
       ``(B) Upon the request of a project sponsor, a lead agency 
     may adopt, use, or rely upon secondary and cumulative impact 
     analyses included in any environmental document prepared 
     under NEPA for projects in the same geographic area where the 
     secondary and cumulative impact analyses provide information 
     and data that pertains to the NEPA decision for the project 
     under review.
       ``(2) State environmental documents; supplemental 
     documents.--
       ``(A) Upon the request of a project sponsor, a lead agency 
     may adopt a document that has been prepared for a project 
     under State laws and procedures as the environmental impact 
     statement or environmental assessment for the project, 
     provided that the State laws and procedures under which the 
     document was prepared provide environmental protection and 
     opportunities for public involvement that are substantially 
     equivalent to NEPA.
       ``(B) An environmental document adopted under subparagraph 
     (A) is deemed to satisfy the lead agency's obligation under 
     NEPA to prepare an environmental impact statement or 
     environmental assessment.
       ``(C) In the case of a document described in subparagraph 
     (A), during the period after preparation of the document but 
     before its adoption by the lead agency, the lead agency shall 
     prepare and publish a supplement to that document if the lead 
     agency determines that--
       ``(i) a significant change has been made to the project 
     that is relevant for purposes of environmental review of the 
     project; or
       ``(ii) there have been significant changes in circumstances 
     or availability of information relevant to the environmental 
     review for the project.
       ``(D) If the agency prepares and publishes a supplemental 
     document under subparagraph (C), the lead agency may solicit 
     comments from agencies and the public on the supplemental 
     document for a period of not more than 45 days beginning on 
     the date of the publication of the supplement.
       ``(E) A lead agency shall issue its record of decision or 
     finding of no significant impact, as appropriate, based upon 
     the document adopted under subparagraph (A), and any 
     supplements thereto.
       ``(3) Contemporaneous projects.--If the lead agency 
     determines that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 
     project will have similar environmental impacts as a similar 
     project in geographical proximity to the project, and that 
     similar project was subject to environmental review or 
     similar State procedures within the 5-year period immediately 
     preceding the date that the lead agency makes that 
     determination, the lead

[[Page H7839]]

     agency may adopt the environmental document that resulted 
     from that environmental review or similar State procedure. 
     The lead agency may adopt such an environmental document, if 
     it is prepared under State laws and procedures only upon 
     making a favorable determination on such environmental 
     document pursuant to paragraph (2)(A).
       ``(e) Participating Agencies.--
       ``(1) In general.--The lead agency shall be responsible for 
     inviting and designating participating agencies in accordance 
     with this subsection. The lead agency shall provide the 
     invitation or notice of the designation in writing.
       ``(2) Federal participating agencies.--Any Federal agency 
     that is required to adopt the environmental document of the 
     lead agency for a project shall be designated as a 
     participating agency and shall collaborate on the preparation 
     of the environmental document, unless the Federal agency 
     informs the lead agency, in writing, by a time specified by 
     the lead agency in the designation of the Federal agency that 
     the Federal agency--
       ``(A) has no jurisdiction or authority with respect to the 
     project;
       ``(B) has no expertise or information relevant to the 
     project; and
       ``(C) does not intend to submit comments on the project.
       ``(3) Invitation.--The lead agency shall identify, as early 
     as practicable in the environmental review for a project, any 
     agencies other than an agency described in paragraph (2) that 
     may have an interest in the project, including, where 
     appropriate, Governors of affected States, and heads of 
     appropriate tribal and local (including county) governments, 
     and shall invite such identified agencies and officials to 
     become participating agencies in the environmental review for 
     the project. The invitation shall set a deadline of 30 days 
     for responses to be submitted, which may only be extended by 
     the lead agency for good cause shown. Any agency that fails 
     to respond prior to the deadline shall be deemed to have 
     declined the invitation.
       ``(4) Effect of declining participating agency 
     invitation.--Any agency that declines a designation or 
     invitation by the lead agency to be a participating agency 
     shall be precluded from submitting comments on any document 
     prepared under NEPA for that project or taking any measures 
     to oppose, based on the environmental review, any permit, 
     license, or approval related to that project.
       ``(5) Effect of designation.--Designation as a 
     participating agency under this subsection does not imply 
     that the participating agency--
       ``(A) supports a proposed project; or
       ``(B) has any jurisdiction over, or special expertise with 
     respect to evaluation of, the project.
       ``(6) Cooperating agency.--A participating agency may also 
     be designated by a lead agency as a `cooperating agency' 
     under the regulations contained in part 1500 of title 40, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2011. 
     Designation as a cooperating agency shall have no effect on 
     designation as participating agency. No agency that is not a 
     participating agency may be designated as a cooperating 
     agency.
       ``(7) Concurrent reviews.--Each Federal agency shall--
       ``(A) carry out obligations of the Federal agency under 
     other applicable law concurrently and in conjunction with the 
     review required under NEPA; and
       ``(B) in accordance with the rules made by the Council on 
     Environmental Quality pursuant to subsection (n)(1), make and 
     carry out such rules, policies, and procedures as may be 
     reasonably necessary to enable the agency to ensure 
     completion of the environmental review and environmental 
     decisionmaking process in a timely, coordinated, and 
     environmentally responsible manner.
       ``(8) Comments.--Each participating agency shall limit its 
     comments on a project to areas that are within the authority 
     and expertise of such participating agency. Each 
     participating agency shall identify in such comments the 
     statutory authority of the participating agency pertaining to 
     the subject matter of its comments. The lead agency shall not 
     act upon, respond to or include in any document prepared 
     under NEPA, any comment submitted by a participating agency 
     that concerns matters that are outside of the authority and 
     expertise of the commenting participating agency.
       ``(f) Project Initiation Request.--
       ``(1) Notice.--A project sponsor shall provide the Federal 
     agency responsible for undertaking a project with notice of 
     the initiation of the project by providing a description of 
     the proposed project, the general location of the proposed 
     project, and a statement of any Federal approvals anticipated 
     to be necessary for the proposed project, for the purpose of 
     informing the Federal agency that the environmental review 
     should be initiated.
       ``(2) Lead agency initiation.--The agency receiving a 
     project initiation notice under paragraph (1) shall promptly 
     identify the lead agency for the project, and the lead agency 
     shall initiate the environmental review within a period of 45 
     days after receiving the notice required by paragraph (1) by 
     inviting or designating agencies to become participating 
     agencies, or, where the lead agency determines that no 
     participating agencies are required for the project, by 
     taking such other actions that are reasonable and necessary 
     to initiate the environmental review.
       ``(g) Alternatives Analysis.--
       ``(1) Participation.--As early as practicable during the 
     environmental review, but no later than during scoping for a 
     project requiring the preparation of an environmental impact 
     statement, the lead agency shall provide an opportunity for 
     involvement by cooperating agencies in determining the range 
     of alternatives to be considered for a project.
       ``(2) Range of alternatives.--Following participation under 
     paragraph (1), the lead agency shall determine the range of 
     alternatives for consideration in any document which the lead 
     agency is responsible for preparing for the project, subject 
     to the following limitations:
       ``(A) No evaluation of certain alternatives.--No Federal 
     agency shall evaluate any alternative that was identified but 
     not carried forward for detailed evaluation in an 
     environmental document or evaluated and not selected in any 
     environmental document prepared under NEPA for the same 
     project.
       ``(B) Only feasible alternatives evaluated.--Where a 
     project is being constructed, managed, funded, or undertaken 
     by a project sponsor that is not a Federal agency, Federal 
     agencies shall only be required to evaluate alternatives that 
     the project sponsor could feasibly undertake, consistent with 
     the purpose of and the need for the project, including 
     alternatives that can be undertaken by the project sponsor 
     and that are technically and economically feasible.
       ``(3) Methodologies.--
       ``(A) In general.--The lead agency shall determine, in 
     collaboration with cooperating agencies at appropriate times 
     during the environmental review, the methodologies to be used 
     and the level of detail required in the analysis of each 
     alternative for a project. The lead agency shall include in 
     the environmental document a description of the methodologies 
     used and how the methodologies were selected.
       ``(B) No evaluation of inappropriate alternatives.--When a 
     lead agency determines that an alternative does not meet the 
     purpose and need for a project, that alternative is not 
     required to be evaluated in detail in an environmental 
     document.
       ``(4) Preferred alternative.--At the discretion of the lead 
     agency, the preferred alternative for a project, after being 
     identified, may be developed to a higher level of detail than 
     other alternatives in order to facilitate the development of 
     mitigation measures or concurrent compliance with other 
     applicable laws if the lead agency determines that the 
     development of such higher level of detail will not prevent 
     the lead agency from making an impartial decision as to 
     whether to accept another alternative which is being 
     considered in the environmental review.
       ``(5) Employment analysis.--The evaluation of each 
     alternative in an environmental impact statement or an 
     environmental assessment shall identify the potential effects 
     of the alternative on employment, including potential short-
     term and long-term employment increases and reductions and 
     shifts in employment.
       ``(h) Coordination and Scheduling.--
       ``(1) Coordination plan.--
       ``(A) In general.--The lead agency shall establish and 
     implement a plan for coordinating public and agency 
     participation in and comment on the environmental review for 
     a project or category of projects to facilitate the 
     expeditious resolution of the environmental review.
       ``(B) Schedule.--
       ``(i) In general.--The lead agency shall establish as part 
     of the coordination plan for a project, after consultation 
     with each participating agency and, where applicable, the 
     project sponsor, a schedule for completion of the 
     environmental review. The schedule shall include deadlines, 
     consistent with subsection (i), for decisions under any other 
     Federal laws (including the issuance or denial of a permit or 
     license) relating to the project that is covered by the 
     schedule.
       ``(ii) Factors for consideration.--In establishing the 
     schedule, the lead agency shall consider factors such as--

       ``(I) the responsibilities of participating agencies under 
     applicable laws;
       ``(II) resources available to the participating agencies;
       ``(III) overall size and complexity of the project;
       ``(IV) overall schedule for and cost of the project;
       ``(V) the sensitivity of the natural and historic resources 
     that could be affected by the project; and
       ``(VI) the extent to which similar projects in geographic 
     proximity were recently subject to environmental review or 
     similar State procedures.

       ``(iii) Compliance with the schedule.--

       ``(I) All participating agencies shall comply with the time 
     periods established in the schedule or with any modified time 
     periods, where the lead agency modifies the schedule pursuant 
     to subparagraph (D).
       ``(II) The lead agency shall disregard and shall not 
     respond to or include in any document prepared under NEPA, 
     any comment or information submitted or any finding made by a 
     participating agency that is outside of the time period 
     established in the schedule or modification pursuant to 
     subparagraph (D) for that agency's comment, submission or 
     finding.
       ``(III) If a participating agency fails to object in 
     writing to a lead agency decision, finding or request for 
     concurrence within the time period established under law or 
     by the lead agency, the agency shall be deemed to

[[Page H7840]]

     have concurred in the decision, finding or request.

       ``(C) Consistency with other time periods.--A schedule 
     under subparagraph (B) shall be consistent with any other 
     relevant time periods established under Federal law.
       ``(D) Modification.--The lead agency may--
       ``(i) lengthen a schedule established under subparagraph 
     (B) for good cause; and
       ``(ii) shorten a schedule only with the concurrence of the 
     cooperating agencies.
       ``(E) Dissemination.--A copy of a schedule under 
     subparagraph (B), and of any modifications to the schedule, 
     shall be--
       ``(i) provided within 15 days of completion or modification 
     of such schedule to all participating agencies and to the 
     project sponsor; and
       ``(ii) made available to the public.
       ``(F) Roles and responsibility of lead agency.--With 
     respect to the environmental review for any project, the lead 
     agency shall have authority and responsibility to take such 
     actions as are necessary and proper, within the authority of 
     the lead agency, to facilitate the expeditious resolution of 
     the environmental review for the project.
       ``(i) Deadlines.--The following deadlines shall apply to 
     any project subject to review under NEPA and any decision 
     under any Federal law relating to such project (including the 
     issuance or denial of a permit or license or any required 
     finding):
       ``(1) Environmental review deadlines.--The lead agency 
     shall complete the environmental review within the following 
     deadlines:
       ``(A) Environmental impact statement projects.--For 
     projects requiring preparation of an environmental impact 
     statement--
       ``(i) the lead agency shall issue an environmental impact 
     statement within 2 years after the earlier of the date the 
     lead agency receives the project initiation request or a 
     Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
     is published in the Federal Register; and
       ``(ii) in circumstances where the lead agency has prepared 
     an environmental assessment and determined that an 
     environmental impact statement will be required, the lead 
     agency shall issue the environmental impact statement within 
     2 years after the date of publication of the Notice of Intent 
     to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal 
     Register.
       ``(B) Environmental assessment projects.--For projects 
     requiring preparation of an environmental assessment, the 
     lead agency shall issue a finding of no significant impact or 
     publish a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
     Statement in the Federal Register within 1 year after the 
     earlier of the date the lead agency receives the project 
     initiation request, makes a decision to prepare an 
     environmental assessment, or sends out participating agency 
     invitations.
       ``(2) Extensions.--
       ``(A) Requirements.--The environmental review deadlines may 
     be extended only if--
       ``(i) a different deadline is established by agreement of 
     the lead agency, the project sponsor, and all participating 
     agencies; or
       ``(ii) the deadline is extended by the lead agency for good 
     cause.
       ``(B) Limitation.--The environmental review shall not be 
     extended by more than 1 year for a project requiring 
     preparation of an environmental impact statement or by more 
     than 180 days for a project requiring preparation of an 
     environmental assessment.
       ``(3) Environmental review comments.--
       ``(A) Comments on draft environmental impact statement.--
     For comments by agencies and the public on a draft 
     environmental impact statement, the lead agency shall 
     establish a comment period of not more than 60 days after 
     publication in the Federal Register of notice of the date of 
     public availability of such document, unless--
       ``(i) a different deadline is established by agreement of 
     the lead agency, the project sponsor, and all participating 
     agencies; or
       ``(ii) the deadline is extended by the lead agency for good 
     cause.
       ``(B) Other comments.--For all other comment periods for 
     agency or public comments in the environmental review 
     process, the lead agency shall establish a comment period of 
     no more than 30 days from availability of the materials on 
     which comment is requested, unless--
       ``(i) a different deadline is established by agreement of 
     the lead agency, the project sponsor, and all participating 
     agencies; or
       ``(ii) the deadline is extended by the lead agency for good 
     cause.
       ``(4) Deadlines for decisions under other laws.--
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any case in 
     which a decision under any other Federal law relating to the 
     undertaking of a project being reviewed under NEPA (including 
     the issuance or denial of a permit or license) is required to 
     be made, the following deadlines shall apply:
       ``(A) Decisions prior to record of decision or finding of 
     no significant impact.--If a Federal agency is required to 
     approve, or otherwise to act upon, a permit, license, or 
     other similar application for approval related to a project 
     prior to the record of decision or finding of no significant 
     impact, such Federal agency shall approve or otherwise act 
     not later than the end of a 90-day period beginning--
       ``(i) after all other relevant agency review related to the 
     project is complete; and
       ``(ii) after the lead agency publishes a notice of the 
     availability of the final environmental impact statement or 
     issuance of other final environmental documents, or no later 
     than such other date that is otherwise required by law, 
     whichever event occurs first.
       ``(B) Other decisions.--With regard to any approval or 
     other action related to a project by a Federal agency that is 
     not subject to subparagraph (A), each Federal agency shall 
     approve or otherwise act not later than the end of a period 
     of 180 days beginning--
       ``(i) after all other relevant agency review related to the 
     project is complete; and
       ``(ii) after the lead agency issues the record of decision 
     or finding of no significant impact, unless a different 
     deadline is established by agreement of the Federal agency, 
     lead agency, and the project sponsor, where applicable, or 
     the deadline is extended by the Federal agency for good 
     cause, provided that such extension shall not extend beyond a 
     period that is 1 year after the lead agency issues the record 
     of decision or finding of no significant impact.
       ``(C) Failure to act.--In the event that any Federal agency 
     fails to approve, or otherwise to act upon, a permit, 
     license, or other similar application for approval related to 
     a project within the applicable deadline described in 
     subparagraph (A) or (B), the permit, license, or other 
     similar application shall be deemed approved by such agency 
     and the agency shall take action in accordance with such 
     approval within 30 days of the applicable deadline described 
     in subparagraph (A) or (B).
       ``(D) Final agency action.--Any approval under subparagraph 
     (C) is deemed to be final agency action, and may not be 
     reversed by any agency. In any action under chapter 7 seeking 
     review of such a final agency action, the court may not set 
     aside such agency action by reason of that agency action 
     having occurred under this paragraph.
       ``(j) Issue Identification and Resolution.--
       ``(1) Cooperation.--The lead agency and the participating 
     agencies shall work cooperatively in accordance with this 
     section to identify and resolve issues that could delay 
     completion of the environmental review or could result in 
     denial of any approvals required for the project under 
     applicable laws.
       ``(2) Lead agency responsibilities.--The lead agency shall 
     make information available to the participating agencies as 
     early as practicable in the environmental review regarding 
     the environmental, historic, and socioeconomic resources 
     located within the project area and the general locations of 
     the alternatives under consideration. Such information may be 
     based on existing data sources, including geographic 
     information systems mapping.
       ``(3) Participating agency responsibilities.--Based on 
     information received from the lead agency, participating 
     agencies shall identify, as early as practicable, any issues 
     of concern regarding the project's potential environmental, 
     historic, or socioeconomic impacts. In this paragraph, issues 
     of concern include any issues that could substantially delay 
     or prevent an agency from granting a permit or other approval 
     that is needed for the project.
       ``(4) Issue resolution.--
       ``(A) Meeting of participating agencies.--At any time upon 
     request of a project sponsor, the lead agency shall promptly 
     convene a meeting with the relevant participating agencies 
     and the project sponsor, to resolve issues that could delay 
     completion of the environmental review or could result in 
     denial of any approvals required for the project under 
     applicable laws.
       ``(B) Notice that resolution cannot be achieved.--If a 
     resolution cannot be achieved within 30 days following such a 
     meeting and a determination by the lead agency that all 
     information necessary to resolve the issue has been obtained, 
     the lead agency shall notify the heads of all participating 
     agencies, the project sponsor, and the Council on 
     Environmental Quality for further proceedings in accordance 
     with section 204 of NEPA, and shall publish such notification 
     in the Federal Register.
       ``(k) Limitation on Use of Social Cost of Carbon.--
       ``(1) In general.--In the case of any environmental review 
     or environmental decisionmaking process, a lead agency may 
     not use the social cost of carbon.
       ``(2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `social 
     cost of carbon' means the social cost of carbon as described 
     in the technical support document entitled `Technical Support 
     Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for 
     Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order No. 12866', 
     published by the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of 
     Carbon, United States Government, in May 2013, revised in 
     November 2013, or any successor thereto or substantially 
     related document, or any other estimate of the monetized 
     damages associated with an incremental increase in carbon 
     dioxide emissions in a given year.
       ``(l) Report to Congress.--The head of each Federal agency 
     shall report annually to Congress--
       ``(1) the projects for which the agency initiated 
     preparation of an environmental impact statement or 
     environmental assessment;
       ``(2) the projects for which the agency issued a record of 
     decision or finding of no significant impact and the length 
     of time it took the agency to complete the environmental 
     review for each such project;
       ``(3) the filing of any lawsuits against the agency seeking 
     judicial review of a permit,

[[Page H7841]]

     license, or approval issued by the agency for an action 
     subject to NEPA, including the date the complaint was filed, 
     the court in which the complaint was filed, and a summary of 
     the claims for which judicial review was sought; and
       ``(4) the resolution of any lawsuits against the agency 
     that sought judicial review of a permit, license, or approval 
     issued by the agency for an action subject to NEPA.
       ``(m) Limitations on Claims.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, a claim arising under Federal law seeking judicial 
     review of a permit, license, or approval issued by a Federal 
     agency for an action subject to NEPA shall be barred unless--
       ``(A) in the case of a claim pertaining to a project for 
     which an environmental review was conducted and an 
     opportunity for comment was provided, the claim is filed by a 
     party that submitted a comment during the environmental 
     review on the issue on which the party seeks judicial review, 
     and such comment was sufficiently detailed to put the lead 
     agency on notice of the issue upon which the party seeks 
     judicial review; and
       ``(B) filed within 180 days after publication of a notice 
     in the Federal Register announcing that the permit, license, 
     or approval is final pursuant to the law under which the 
     agency action is taken, unless a shorter time is specified in 
     the Federal law pursuant to which judicial review is allowed.
       ``(2) New information.--The preparation of a supplemental 
     environmental impact statement, when required, is deemed a 
     separate final agency action and the deadline for filing a 
     claim for judicial review of such action shall be 180 days 
     after the date of publication of a notice in the Federal 
     Register announcing the record of decision for such action. 
     Any claim challenging agency action on the basis of 
     information in a supplemental environmental impact statement 
     shall be limited to challenges on the basis of that 
     information.
       ``(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
     shall be construed to create a right to judicial review or 
     place any limit on filing a claim that a person has violated 
     the terms of a permit, license, or approval.
       ``(n) Categories of Projects.--The authorities granted 
     under this subchapter may be exercised for an individual 
     project or a category of projects.
       ``(o) Effective Date.--The requirements of this subchapter 
     shall apply only to environmental reviews and environmental 
     decisionmaking processes initiated after the date of 
     enactment of this subchapter. In the case of a project for 
     which an environmental review or environmental decisionmaking 
     process was initiated prior to the date of enactment of this 
     subchapter, the provisions of subsection (i) shall apply, 
     except that, notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     section, in determining a deadline under such subsection, any 
     applicable period of time shall be calculated as beginning 
     from the date of enactment of this subchapter.
       ``(p) Applicability.--Except as provided in subsection (p), 
     this subchapter applies, according to the provisions thereof, 
     to all projects for which a Federal agency is required to 
     undertake an environmental review or make a decision under an 
     environmental law for a project for which a Federal agency is 
     undertaking an environmental review.
       ``(q) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to supersede, amend, or modify sections 134, 135, 
     139, 325, 326, and 327 of title 23, sections 5303 and 5304 of 
     title 49, or subtitle C of title I of division A of the 
     Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act and the 
     amendments made by such subtitle (Public Law 112-141).''.
       (b) Technical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
     5 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
     after the items relating to subchapter II the following:

    ``subchapter iia--interagency coordination regarding permitting

``560. Coordination of agency administrative operations for efficient 
              decisionmaking.''.
       (c) Regulations.--
       (1) Council on environmental quality.--Not later than 180 
     days after the date of enactment of this division, the 
     Council on Environmental Quality shall amend the regulations 
     contained in part 1500 of title 40, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, to implement the provisions of this division and 
     the amendments made by this division, and shall by rule 
     designate States with laws and procedures that satisfy the 
     criteria under section 560(d)(2)(A) of title 5, United States 
     Code.
       (2) Federal agencies.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     date that the Council on Environmental Quality amends the 
     regulations contained in part 1500 of title 40, Code of 
     Federal Regulations, to implement the provisions of this 
     division and the amendments made by this division, each 
     Federal agency with regulations implementing the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 
     shall amend such regulations to implement the provisions of 
     this division.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) 
and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each will control 60 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.

                              {time}  1530


                             General Leave

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand here on the House floor, only a few hundred 
yards away from the Senate, and it feels as if we are worlds apart. In 
the House, we are listening to the American people who are telling us 
that it is time to expand American energy production.
  Hardworking Americans know how important energy is in their lives. 
They need it to commute to and from work. It fuels the buses that take 
our kids to school. It powers the businesses on Main Street.
  It provides jobs and improves the livelihoods of millions of 
Americans who are struggling to make ends meet in President Obama's 
economy; and, Mr. Speaker, Sunday, it will power the Jumbotron at 
CenturyLink Field in Seattle as the Seahawks take on the Broncos.
  Unfortunately, on the other side of the Capitol, these calls to 
expand American energy production are falling on deaf ears. The House 
has passed dozens of energy bills, including a number from the House 
Natural Resources Committee, on which the Senate has failed to act. By 
doing so, they are standing in the way of American job creation, 
affordable energy, and increased national security.
  H.R. 2, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More 
American Jobs Act, would protect and expand American energy production 
by removing this administration's roadblocks and preventing unnecessary 
bureaucratic red tape.
  Mr. Speaker, since President Obama took office, total Federal 
offshore oil production has dropped 13 percent, Federal offshore 
natural gas production has dropped by nearly one-half, and the Obama 
administration has placed over 85 percent of America's offshore acreage 
off limits.
  Onshore, Mr. Speaker, it is the same story. This administration has 
had the 4 lowest years of Federal acres leased for onshore energy 
production going back to 1988. It has also pledged to impose a 
duplicative layer of red tape on hydraulic fracturing, which would only 
hurt American job creation.
  The Obama administration has also waged a war on coal and on coal 
jobs. Coal is a reliable and affordable energy resource that provides 
30 percent of America's electricity and supports millions of American 
jobs.
  Unfortunately, with one proposed regulation by the Obama 
administration, those jobs could disappear. Their rewrite of the stream 
buffer zone rule could cost 7,000 coal jobs and cause economic harm in 
22 States.
  But there is good news, and the good news are the provisions in these 
bills. These provisions are a direct response to the Obama 
administration's actions that have locked up our energy resources. The 
bill would end the regulatory delays blocking the construction of the 
Keystone XL pipeline.
  After nearly 6 years of review, this is a commonsense solution that 
would eliminate the need for a Presidential permit, addresses all other 
necessary Federal permits, and limit litigation that would delay the 
project.
  The bill would also expand offshore energy production. It would 
require this administration to responsibly move forward with new 
offshore energy production in areas that contain the most oil and 
natural gas resources. What a novel idea, going where the product is, 
and those areas include areas off the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts.
  It also requires the administration to hold oil and natural gas lease 
sales that have been delayed or canceled, such as offshore of Virginia. 
This expanded offshore production would generate over $1 billion in new 
revenue to the Federal Treasury and create up to 1.2 millions of jobs 
long-term.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill would expand onshore energy production. It 
would reform the leasing and permitting process to remove unnecessary 
delays, set

[[Page H7842]]

clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources, and 
establish Internet-based auctions for leases. It would also help foster 
expanded energy production on tribal lands.
  The bill would stop the Federal Government from imposing duplicative 
Federal hydraulic regulations and prevent it from implementing job-
destroying coal regulations. It would help protect consumers from EPA 
regulations that could destroy jobs and increase energy costs.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, the bill would expand production of clean, 
renewable hydropower by removing outdated barriers and streamlining the 
regulatory process. It would authorize hydropower development at 
existing manmade water canals and pipes at 12 Bureau of Reclamation 
projects.
  Mr. Speaker, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More 
American Jobs Act is a commonsense action plan to create over 1 million 
new American jobs and provide relief to hardworking Americans who are 
feeling the squeeze of higher gasoline and electricity prices. It would 
strengthen our economy and--probably more importantly in this unsettled 
world--increase America's energy security.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
bipartisan piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Well, Mr. Speaker, I would start out by saying this feels like 
Groundhog Day, but I have already done that when we brought up these 
same bills multiple times in the past. I could start, as I did the last 
time we considered this package of bills, by reading a statement from 
the last time we debated these bills and then pretend to get angry at 
my staff because they gave me a statement that is 8 months old, but I 
made that point the last time we debated this energy package on the 
floor.

  Mr. Speaker, the House has passed nearly all the provisions in this 
bill at least two times. Now, I think most Americans still remember 
high school civics. The House passes a bill; they send it to the 
Senate.
  The Senate either takes it up or not; and, if they do, then we work 
out our differences in conference committee and send it to the 
President for signature. We just keep sending the same bills over to 
the Senate under the premise that, somehow, they will do something 
because it has been sent multiples times from the House. It hasn't 
worked in the past, and it won't work in the future.
  This package really also ignores reality. We are producing more 
natural gas than we ever have and more oil than in over 25 years. We 
are projected to be the number one oil producer in the world in the 
next few years.
  Meanwhile, thanks to a worldwide glut of oil, gas prices are going 
down. They are the lowest they have been this time of year since 2010, 
except perhaps in my State, where we are getting price-gouged because 
we don't have a refinery.
  If Republicans really cared about keeping gas prices down for 
American consumers, maybe they would take a serious look at the fact 
that we are exporting 1.6 million barrels of gasoline and diesel every 
day. There is no shortage.
  We are exporting 1.6 million barrels a day; yet truckers are paying 
extraordinarily high diesel prices because we are exporting more and 
more diesel and saying, ``Well, you have got to pay the same price they 
are going to pay in Europe.''
  Mr. Speaker, inside the Beltway here, we don't really deal with facts 
and statistics very much; so, today, we will take up and pass the same 
tired legislation for the second, third, or fourth time so any 
Republican Members who happen to be in a tough race can claim that they 
have been productive on this issue.
  This is just an opportunity to check the energy box again and again 
so you can try to get voters to check the box for the so-called energy 
experts on the ballot, but we are not legislating; instead, we are 
wasting time and taxpayer money to put on a rerun show. If you are 
going to do a rerun show, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, 
then I am going to do the same.
  Every time we have come to the floor to debate another legislative 
fish wrap this summer, I have brought up the same issue, Western 
wildfires.
  Now, this poster shows Weed, California--or what is left of it. A 
wildfire destroyed half the town and over 150 homes. In my home State, 
a major fire is burning 10 miles away from the town of Estacada, 
threatening over 150 homes, forcing evacuations, and forcing the 
Governor to use the State's conflagration act to mobilize emergency 
resources.
  In the West, there are over 50 active fires burning, one in the 
Willamette Forest outside of Eugene and Springfield. It is costing $1 
million a day with attempts to keep it from running toward a town. Two 
days ago, the Forest Service said they have $179 million left for 
suppression.
  Last week alone, they spent $150 million on suppression efforts. That 
means, next week, while we are out of session, they will run out of 
money, and they will do what they always do: they will start pulling 
back money from the fuel reduction, forest health, and other programs 
to fight the fires.
  You can't stop fighting the fires. These fires are enormous, 
unnatural, and unprecedented in many ways. On top of that, we have a 
drought which might or might not have to do with climate change, which 
the other side of the aisle doesn't believe in, but, nonetheless, they 
are a fact.
  Now, it doesn't have to be this way. We could do something real. We 
have the rarest thing in Washington, D.C.--a bipartisan--that means 
Democrats and Republicans are on a bill, 52 House Members, including 
myself, 52 Republicans on a bill--bicameral--similar bill, same bill in 
the Senate--supported by Democrats and Republicans, and, lo and behold, 
it is a bill supported by President Obama.
  Maybe that is why they won't even hold a hearing on it or move it--
because the President supports it--despite the fact that it would deal 
with a very real problem.
  We aren't investing enough money in a regular fashion to get ahead of 
the fire problem in the West and to do the fuel reduction and the 
forest health we need. The agencies don't have enough in their budgets, 
and, every year, in fact, they overspend their firefighting budgets, 
and they have to cancel projects and other needed activities.
  There has been no hearing on the bill. We can't find time to hold a 
hearing on a bill that has to do with wildfires that are burning up the 
West. We can't find the time; instead, we are going to pass these bills 
for the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth time. We can't find the 
time. We are too busy here pretending.
  We have 196 Democrats who have signed a petition to overrule the 
Republican leadership and bring that bill to the floor of the United 
States House of Representatives. Fifty-two Republicans are cosponsors 
of that bill.
  Many of them have active fires burning in their districts; and will 
they defy their leadership and do something that is needed for 
Americans in the Western United States, needed for our natural 
resources, and needed to prevent these towns from burning down? No. 
They can't do that. They will not sign the petition.
  So here we are. Western communities are burning. You can pretty much 
step outside the door and smell the smoke from here. We have a 
potential solution to get ahead of this problem in the future and deal 
better with it, but, instead, we are wasting time here today passing, 
yet again, bills that have already been passed and have already been 
sent to the Senate, but we will send them over to the Senate again, and 
they can put them on the same stack of paper.
  If you look at these pictures, we are wasting the second-to-last 
day--well, now, it is the last day, actually--on repeat because we have 
to get home for elections.

  I mean, we don't need to pass the budget for the year, the 
appropriations bills. We don't need to take more meaningful 
consideration of what we are getting into in the Middle East and spend 
more time on it, and we can't certainly find any time to deal with the 
wildfire issue. Let's just pretend.
  Yet, again, you get to check a pointless box, and I don't think the 
American people are going to be fooled.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H7843]]

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4 
minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), my colleague from 
Oregon, across the Columbia River from my district.
  Mr. WALDEN. I thank the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee 
who has been most helpful in our endeavors in the West on the issues of 
private property, water rights, improving the health of our forest, and 
diminishing wildfires through active forest management.
  I want to thank him again for his legislation and one that a number 
of us have shared in helping draft, H.R. 1526, which has been part of 
our jobs package that we are again sending over to the Senate because 
they have done nothing in the area of improving forest health and 
management and stopping these horrible wildfires that we are all trying 
to deal with--because they are much more than just a budgeting issue, 
although that is important, it really is about how do you get ahead of 
these fires, have active management, generate revenues, and generate 
jobs.
  Mr. Speaker, another bill that we are taking up again in the House is 
one that actually has passed twice in this House unanimously--
unanimously--in the last couple of years.
  This will be the third time in less than 3 years we have acted. Why 
are we doing that? Because, at some point, we hope to wake up the 
Senate to where they actually will take up this issue and pass it 
because it means jobs for Crook County, which has a very high 
unemployment rate and a very high poverty rate.
  It means better water quality for fish because we changed a 
designation on a dam that will allow the water to come out in a better 
way by adding renewable, carbon friendly hydropower to be generated off 
this dam. It would create 50 jobs over 2 years when they do the hydro 
piece. The water will come out better, and it will be better for the 
fish.
  The city of Prineville--you talk about drought--the city of 
Prineville has several hundred residents who cannot access city water 
because they don't have enough of it.
  This legislation will free up 5,100 acre feet of water that will take 
care of the city of Prineville for some time to come and allow them to 
actually take care of their citizens with city water. They will pump it 
out downstream, and water will stay instream for--I think it is 
something like 20 miles upriver from Bowman Dam.
  There is 80,000 acre feet of water sitting unallocated in this 
reservoir. We take 5,100 acre feet of it. The city is going to pay the 
appropriate price so there is no cost to the Treasury. It will serve 
500 homes, and we have got a bunch of data centers that have come up in 
Prineville.
  They need to make sure they have access to water for cooling. Apple 
and Facebook and a couple of others need access to this, and all we do 
is fix an errant boundary decision made many years ago that laid down 
the boundary of wild and scenic right across the top of the dam.
  Now, there is nothing wild or scenic about a dam unless you are 
falling off the face of it. It was temporary, and that has been decades 
ago. This moves it a quarter mile downstream.

                              {time}  1545

  Beyond that, there are benefits for Ochoco Irrigation District 
farmers to ensure they will continue to operate their family farms for 
generations to come. We make sure there is enough water behind the dam 
for flat water recreation and fishing, which is an important part of 
the economy there. And we worked with the tribes and others to expedite 
the McKay Creek restoration project, which will result in increased 
water flows for redband trout and summer steelhead, a project long 
supported by the Warm Springs Tribe and the Deschutes River 
Conservancy.
  Just like other bills in this package, this is a good, commonsense 
piece of legislation. It has achieved overwhelming--in fact, in the 
House, unanimous--support.
  We look forward to working with the Senate, but it is hard to dance 
with yourself. It is just no fun. So we need a dance partner over in 
the Senate that will come to the table so we can take this years of 
work, pull it together in a package that can finally get to the 
President's desk.
  I don't know what else you do. You try again. You never quit trying. 
And that is what this package of bills is all about. One more time 
before we leave town, trying to create jobs in America, do the right 
thing for the environment, and take care of problems at home, that is 
what this is about.
  We hope the Senate will finally take a look at these bills in a 
meaningful and thoughtful way and be able to come to the table with 
terms and work these things out.
  So I commend the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee 
for all his work over the years, but especially for the work he and I 
have done together to improve forest health, improve forest jobs, 
improve water quality, take care of these issues that are so important 
to the rural West.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Jeffries).
  Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Oregon for 
yielding as well as for his leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, as we stand on the brink of a 7-week recess, 
we are here in this Chamber considering a package of warmed-over bills 
that will be dead on arrival when it reaches the Senate. It is an empty 
legislative vessel that has no meaningful port of destination. We are 
on a joyride that is going to waste the time and treasure of the 
American people.
  That is not to suggest, Mr. Speaker, that the House majority hasn't 
been busy during the 113th Congress. This majority has been busy 
unleashing a parade of horribles on the American people.
  The House majority, Mr. Speaker, began by bringing to the American 
people sequestration, tens of billions of dollars of painful cuts to 
important domestic programs that will adversely impact the American 
people.
  This House majority, Mr. Speaker, has been busy bringing us a 16-day 
reckless government shutdown, costing the American people $24 billion 
in lost economic productivity.
  Mr. Speaker, this House majority has been busy engaging in a serial 
flirtation with defaulting on our debt, threatening the full faith and 
credit of the United States of America, resulting in an increase in 
interest rates.
  This House majority, Mr. Speaker, has been busy enacting a reckless 
Republican budget: $137 billion in cuts to nutritional assistance to 
the American people, many of whom have gone hungry; $260 billion in 
cuts to higher education; $732 billion in cuts to Medicaid--enacted by 
this House majority in a reckless Republican budget.
  We failed to enact a minimum-wage increase despite the fact that you 
have got working families living in poverty while going to work each 
and every day.
  We failed to enact comprehensive immigration reform, fixing a broken 
immigration system, giving life to the American Dream for those who are 
otherwise now living in the shadows.
  We have failed to invest in transportation and infrastructure.
  We failed to renew unemployment insurance, leaving millions of 
Americans on the battlefield of the Great Recession.
  What are we doing here on the final day?
  I would just ask the American people to ponder this question: What 
grade should you give the House majority during the 113th Congress?
  I would suggest, humbly, there are only two options: D for 
``disaster'' and F for ``failure.''
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry), the author of this legislation.
  Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, Doc Hastings, I really appreciate your 
leadership on energy issues and natural resources issues. It has just 
been incredibly important to our Congress.
  I want to thank my colleagues for allowing me to bring this package 
here today because this is a commonsense energy approach that grows our 
economy, creates jobs, and ensures our energy is affordable and 
reliable.
  Yes, Mr. Speaker, most of these, or all of them, have already been 
voted on at some point in time over the last couple years. It is 
important that we continue to push the Senate into taking up these 
energy bills so we can expand our economy and grow the jobs.
  Too many of the rules and regulations coming out of this 
administration are making energy more costly

[[Page H7844]]

and less reliable to the consumers. This is the point of this bill. The 
House continues to do our job with legislation, but the Senate 
continues to block it. I am not going to stand idly by and keep 
allowing that to happen.
  This approach puts together bills that allow us to build up our 
infrastructure of abundance, streamlines permitting processes, Mr. 
Speaker, and provides commonsense guidance to the EPA rulemakers, all 
of which provides reliability and affordability for our consumers, 
which is an inherent cornerstone to economic success.
  So what does this bill do?
  It allows the United States to take advantage of the fact that we are 
incredibly close to being self-sufficient, no longer reliant on those 
outside of North America. This bill approves the Keystone pipeline, 
which was filed, originally, 6 years ago tomorrow. But yet 22,000 pages 
of studies have been completed that show that this pipeline does not 
pose an environmental risk to land or aquifer and will actually reduce 
CO2 emissions compared to not allowing the pipeline.
  Recently, Larry Summers, President Obama's former senior economic 
adviser, was quoted as saying: ``I am very much aware of the toll that 
the Keystone pipeline issue has taken on the relations with a crucial 
U.S. ally, Canada.''
  So it is even straining our relationship with our good friend Canada.
  This bill also removes Federal barriers to offshore energy 
production, enhances onshore production by removing red tape and making 
sure that any regulations are reasonable.
  This bill will expedite LNG exportation to our allies, allowing us to 
maintain a strong, strategic position in the world.
  This bill will modernize the permit process for natural gas 
pipelines. This is important as we use more natural gas for 
manufacturing, electrical production, and as a transportation fuel.
  There is an abundant supply of natural gas here in North America and 
it has been proven to be cheaper and cleaner, but I believe it is 
greatly underutilized. We need to make natural gas a priority, which 
this bill does.
  Our country is blessed to have these abundant natural resources. We 
must do everything in our power to make sure that our policies support 
resource development and minimize the red tape that strangles our job 
creators.
  I am proud to lead this effort in support of lower cost energy and 
more American jobs. With these policies, we can make real progress 
towards reducing prices at the pump and protecting families.
  Mr. WAXMAN. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene 
Green).
  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to 
H.R. 2. Here we are, the next day after we passed bipartisan 
legislation with a majority on both sides, and now today we come up 
with H.R. 2, which has a combination of bills that this House has 
already considered.
  And what, we are here the last day of voting, the day before we go 
home to campaign, passing a bill that has zero chance of becoming law.
  H.R. 2 is an affront to the bipartisan work we have done in the 
Energy and Commerce Committee. Over the past year, the members of our 
committee have worked together to craft legislation that would support 
the dramatic energy renaissance our country is experiencing. 
Unfortunately, H.R. 2 that we are considering today is not reflective 
of this hard work, some of the compromises we did.
  Instead of working to improve the decisionmaking made by Federal 
agencies, H.R. 2 seeks to eliminate Federal authority.
  Instead of expediting export permits, H.R. 2 opens the door to 
sending U.S. gas to countries that are not even our friends.
  Instead of respecting the balance we worked so hard to establish 
between the States and the Federal Government, H.R. 2 rescinds all the 
authority for our government in State affairs.
  It is my hope that we would stop wasting time on these bills that 
have no bipartisan support and work together to pass legislation in a 
bipartisan fashion.
  We actually have addressed a number of these bills already on this 
House floor. Everyone, Democrat or Republican, has acknowledged that 
the energy sector has common ground. We may not always agree on what 
fuel mix we have or how to best serve our country, but we can agree 
that the energy sector is vital to our economy and our independence.
  The bills included in H.R. 2 include bills I have cosponsored and 
worked hard to craft with my Republican and Democratic colleagues. It 
is disappointing that our leadership would use this window of 
opportunity to pass bills that harm our environment, create uncertainty 
in our economy, and ultimately delay job growth and energy development.
  In the Energy and Commerce Committee, we work across party lines to 
draft legislation that solves the problems of the American people and 
American industry. We work to ensure that the EPA, the Environmental 
Protection Agency, is promulgating rules that make not only economic 
sense, but, as well, environmental sense. We work to support our 
natural resources sector and send American gas and refined products 
overseas to benefit our U.S. economy and balance of trade.
  All of these things will garner bipartisan support and establish the 
U.S. and North America as the world energy leader. But this H.R. 2 
takes away all that we have worked for for almost 2 years, and that is 
why I oppose H.R. 2.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to 
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), the subcommittee chairman on 
the Natural Resources Committee.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I thank the chairman for recognizing me and for his 
contribution to energy and other policies of our country over many 
years.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan H.R. 2, the 
American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act.
  I am pleased that this package of energy legislation includes 
legislation I introduced and that has previously passed the House, H.R. 
1965, the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act.
  H.R. 2 will help ensure the successful production of onshore and 
offshore energy and provides the regulatory certainty energy producers 
need to produce American-made energy. This creates American jobs, 
increases revenues to State and local governments, and promotes 
economic development across the economy.
  H.R. 2 promotes an all-of-the-above energy strategy, streamlining 
regulations and expediting the production of both conventional and 
renewable energy. It will ensure that the Bureau of Land Management has 
the resources they need to expeditiously process permits for all energy 
projects on Federal land.

                              {time}  1600

  The Obama administration has made energy production on Federal land 
so burdensome and so uncertain that conventional and renewable energy 
producers are avoiding Federal lands in favor of State and private 
lands. That is where permits are approved in a timely fashion and are 
not subject to burdensome and obstructionist lawsuits, and projects can 
move forward in a stable environment.
  In my home State of Colorado, a permit for an energy project can be 
approved in 27 days for State land projects. For a project on Federal 
land in Colorado, the Obama administration takes nearly a year to 
approve the same permit. This delay in approvals not only delays energy 
production, it delays job creation and revenues to State and local 
governments.
  Energy producers should not have to choose between whether to produce 
energy on Federal versus State land just because of permit timelines, 
lawsuits, and regulations.
  This legislation injects much-needed certainty into every step of the 
energy production process. It will ensure timely permit approvals, 
allow Bureau of Land Management field offices to have the resources 
they need for energy permits, open up offshore areas for energy 
production, and ensures that our Nation has a plan for our future 
energy needs.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of this critical 
legislation.

[[Page H7845]]

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Womack). The gentleman from California 
has 47\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Washington has 44 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran).
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend and our leader 
from California for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill.
  So this is the last day we are in session until after the elections. 
But rather than consider substantive legislation today--or really at 
any point in this session--that would have extended long-term 
unemployment benefits, or simplify the Tax Code, or reform our 
immigration system, or extend expiring tax provisions, or lower foreign 
trade barriers with new trade authority, or invest in our Nation's 
deteriorating public infrastructure, we are going home.
  Mr. Speaker, the list goes on and on of what we could and should be 
doing. But we are wasting what limited floor time remains debating a 
compilation of bad anti-environmental legislative proposals that this 
Chamber has already passed.
  These bills will not be considered by the Senate, and they are bills 
that the President has already expressed his intention of vetoing if 
they were to get through the Senate.
  It is disappointing, but it is not surprising.
  With the vote on this bill, this Chamber will have voted 218 times 
just this session to weaken existing laws that protect our health and 
our environment; 58 times this session we voted to block action on 
climate change; 43 times to weaken the Clean Air Act; and 75 times to 
weaken the Clean Water Act.
  Mr. Speaker, more oil is being produced now during the Obama 
administration than at any point in the previous 25 years. Our 
dependence on foreign sources of oil is at a record low. Gasoline 
prices are actually stabilizing or in decline in many parts of the 
country.
  But with this bill, we will be waiving environmental reviews and 
advancing more drilling in areas that pose potential harm to the 
environment and to other American jobs and industries, such as the 
tourist industry, the fishing industry, and many other industries that 
don't seem to be given equal weight but are certainly equally or more 
important than the industries that we are trying against all odds to 
protect.
  Mr. Speaker, the climate is warming. The only place where a majority 
of the American people are in denial is here in this Chamber.
  I have seen a poll that shows that 53 percent of all self-identified 
Republicans under the age of 34 think politicians who deny climate 
change are either--and I am quoting here; obviously, these would not be 
my words, but I am quoting--either ``ignorant,'' ``out of touch,'' or 
``crazy.''
  So I will let the majority of young Republicans have the last word, 
Mr. Speaker. But the point is, I oppose this measure, and I urge my 
colleagues to do so as well by voting ``no.''
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 
2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Marino).
  Mr. MARINO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2 is a practical bill that would lower 
costs for energy, create over 1 million long-term jobs, improve our 
energy security, and substantially reduce redtape.
  This is exactly the type of bipartisan legislation Congress should be 
passing to revitalize our economy and create jobs.
  According to an April 2014 report issued by the U.S. Government 
Accountability Office, the average wait time for an environmental 
impact study in 2012 was running 4.6 years. This is the highest average 
since 1997 and includes projects with wait times of 10 to 20 years.
  The World Bank and International Finance Corporation's recent Ease of 
Doing Business index embarrassingly ranked the U.S. 34th in the world 
in the category of ``dealing with construction permits.''
  This is no longer a political game. This is costing the United States 
real dollars and good-paying jobs.
  Today, the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory 
bodies are filing numerous claims to deny and delay companies from 
receiving permits for as long as 10 to 15 years just to break ground.
  At a time when our economy is lagging and job creation is moving at a 
very slow pace, this is an outrage. The RAPID Act would set hard 
deadlines for agencies to approve or deny permits. The RAPID Act would 
also crack down on prolonged lawsuits, creating a window of 180 days 
for any claim challenging a permit decision.
  This bill would also substantially streamline the process by 
empowering lead agencies to manage environmental reviews efficiently 
from start to finish to avoid waste and duplication of efforts among 
the bureaucratic agencies.
  Mr. Speaker, simply because the leader of the Democratic Senate, 
Harry Reid, will not allow over 260 bills to go to the floor doesn't 
mean that we should refrain from continuing to do our job here. My 
constituents back home deserve this legislation and America needs this 
legislation, and we will continue to fight on a daily basis to make 
sure that we improve the economy and create jobs.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Capps), my colleague and good friend.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, here we go again.
  H.R. 2 is yet another example of the majority's backward energy 
policy, which doubles-down on dirty fossil fuels instead of investing 
in a clean energy future. I strongly oppose it. While fossil fuels will 
undoubtedly be a significant part of our energy mix for years to come, 
they are really only one piece of a very large energy puzzle.
  So rather than focusing on dead-end, shortsighted policies like 
these, we should be considering comprehensive energy legislation that 
looks at the big picture. We should be investing in cutting edge 
research, high-tech innovation, and new clean energy technologies. We 
should be increasing energy efficiency, modernizing the electric grid, 
and promoting sustainable energy. And we should be taking action to 
reduce toxic greenhouse gas emissions and finally embrace the 
overwhelming science of climate change.
  Not only does H.R. 2 do nothing to address the serious environmental 
problems we face, it also creates new ones. H.R. 2 overrides the 
expressed will of voters in my congressional district and many other 
communities throughout the Nation by recklessly expanding offshore oil 
drilling.
  We have seen time and time again the devastating environmental and 
economic threats posed by offshore oil drilling. That is why voters in 
my congressional district and California have repeatedly rejected new 
offshore drilling. Yet this bill ignores these wishes and explicitly 
requires new oil drilling off the central coast of California and in 
other areas.
  I find it ironic that the same majority that decries ``an 
overreaching Federal Government'' seems to have no qualms about forcing 
new drilling upon local populations against their expressed wishes.
  I have submitted several amendments to the Rules Committee to address 
this in this legislation and other problems with this bill, but none of 
them were made in order. In fact, the majority has prohibited 
consideration of any and all amendments. No debate, no votes.
  And if these weren't enough reasons to oppose H.R. 2, the bill is 
also completely unnecessary because the House has already passed every 
single provision included in this bill.
  H.R. 2 is nothing more than 13 previously passed bills stapled 
together with a new bill number on the top.
  Even worse, this is the third time this Congress, and the fifth time 
in 4 years, that we are voting on the exact same offshore drilling 
expansion legislation.
  Stapling old bills together doesn't make this a new idea.
  One would think that after nearly 4 years in control of this House 
the majority would have come up with some new ideas by now. But sadly 
they just found a bigger staple machine.
  H.R. 2 is simply a political gimmick and a waste of taxpayer time and 
money. This is no way to legislate.

[[Page H7846]]

  Mr. Speaker, the American people expect better from us. They expect 
us to find common ground and work together across party lines to solve 
our Nation's problems. And there is certainly no shortage of problems 
we could be working on right now: strengthening our economy, raising 
the minimum wage, passing comprehensive immigration reform, making 
college more affordable, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. And 
that list does not even include the multitude of energy challenges that 
this bill completely ignores.
  This is what the American people are calling for. They are calling on 
Congress to stop the political gimmicks, they are calling on us to help 
create middle class jobs to support working families, and they are 
calling on us to get to work and build a more prosperous and 
sustainable energy future for our Nation.
  H.R. 2 accomplishes none of these things. This bill is simply harmful 
energy policy and an embarrassing waste of time.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and join us in working 
toward a clean, more sustainable, energy future for the American 
people.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 
minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cassidy).
  Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nebraska, Mr. 
Terry, Chairman Upton, and Chairman Hastings for incorporating 
important provisions that I have worked on in this bill, specifically 
provisions that would prevent or roll back onerous EPA regulations and 
provisions that would greatly increase revenue sharing among gulf 
States, adding billions to Louisiana's coastal restoration effort to 
build hurricane protection to protect not just our State but energy 
infrastructure.
  Now, we have passed these bills before, sometimes three times before, 
and there are over 40 jobs bills this Chamber has passed that have gone 
nowhere in the Senate. The bills sit on Majority Leader Harry Reid's 
desk. Senator Reid and his colleagues like to speak of helping the 
middle class, but when it comes to a jobs bill they talk and we act.
  Now, Louisiana and Louisiana's workers are greatly benefiting from 
America's energy renaissance. There are over 66 industrial projects--
worth some $90 billion--that will break ground over the next 5 years in 
Louisiana, creating tens of thousands of new jobs for working 
Americans.
  The only thing that can stop these jobs is Federal regulation. For 
example, some proposed EPA rules would destroy 117,000 jobs in 
Louisiana alone. Sometimes I think my colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle are so busy saving the Earth they will sacrifice the American 
family. My, my, I think we save the Earth by first saving the family.
  We should be rolling out the red carpet for these jobs, not the red 
tape. But already the red tape has made these jobs more difficult and 
life more difficult for these families.
  We have seen the price of utilities, gasoline, groceries, and, of 
course, health insurance increased under President Obama's 
administration.

                              {time}  1615

  Hardworking families are struggling. They pray for better jobs with 
better benefits. Fortunately, the energy industry is creating these 
jobs.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman 30 
additional seconds.
  Mr. CASSIDY. These jobs are at risk when President Obama blocked the 
ability to construct pipeline infrastructure or blocked exploration and 
production off the Outer Continental Shelf or places hurdles in front 
of the exportation of liquefied natural gas and when EPA proposes job-
killing regulations driving blue-collar jobs to foreign countries.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I urge the Senate to pass 
the dozens of job-producing bills this House has passed and that have 
been stalled at the majority leader's desk for months.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Tonko).
  Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today is yet another exercise that 
explains why the public has such a low opinion of Congress.
  We have considered this package of bills before. The Senate will not 
take it up. The President and administration would not approve it. We 
are wasting valuable time on our last day in session before the 
lameduck period.
  This bill delivers more benefits to big fossil fuel and mining 
interests. It would allow them to extract fossil fuels and minerals 
from our coastlines and public lands with no serious consideration of 
public health, the environment, or of the many other business interests 
that rely on a clean, healthy environment to support their continued 
success.
  Our Nation has real challenges. We need faster, broader job growth in 
all regions of our country and in all sectors of our economy. We need a 
national energy policy that provides more energy security through 
efficiency and expanded use of renewable energy resources.
  We need an energy policy that recognizes and deals with the 
challenges of climate change. We need a thoughtful path forward that 
enables a transition to the energy sector of the future that brings 
workers and communities into this new model productively and 
profitably.
  We need to invest in our transportation and water infrastructure--
infrastructure that is in need of repair, in need of rebuilding, and in 
need of redesign--to meet our needs into the future. The financing 
structure in place today and the Federal resources being devoted to 
these essential systems is outdated and inadequate.
  We need to do more to address the lingering problems from the 
financial debacle that crashed the economy in 2007. Too many of our 
citizens are still struggling under heavy debt loads as a result of the 
housing bubble, the stagnant wages, student loans, unemployment, and 
underemployment.
  Our Tax Code needs revision to spur business investment, to bring 
down the deficit, and to make the Code fair for all taxpayers. We need 
to invest in research and development, the lifeblood of innovation and 
progress; instead, this legislation proposes to provide more to a 
sector of the economy that is already thriving.
  Oil and gas production are at record levels, as are the profits of 
these industries. This bill continues the same old energy policy that 
we have been following for decades and ignores the mounting social and 
environmental costs associated with its continuation. This package 
doubles down on carbon emissions because it is a fossil fuel only 
policy.
  With this proposal, we ask our citizens to accept greatly reduced 
public health and environmental protection not just to support our 
domestic use of these fuels, but to enhance our exports of fossil 
fuels.
  It is sad and ironic that, during the week of the 50th anniversary of 
the Wilderness Act and of the Land and Water Conservation Fund--laws 
that recognize all the values of public lands and resources to current 
and future generations and that have provided so much--that we are 
considering this bill.
  H.R. 2 represents a narrow view of natural resources as assets to be 
exploited for short-term profit by this generation with little regard 
for our stewardship responsibility to our children and to our 
grandchildren. If we do not act decisively and soon, our generation's 
legacy will be one of shortsightedness and wasted opportunity.
  We have ignored real challenges for far too long. We need to 
demonstrate the vision, the courage, and generosity of spirit that 
previous generations expressed on our behalf. We need to stop making 
policy in increments of months and do what we were sent here to do, 
govern by working together and compromising to find solutions with 
consideration of the present and an eye to the future with bold plans 
and initiatives.
  Generally, I am a big fan of recycling, but H.R. 2 is only suitable 
for disposal. This is a deeply flawed piece of legislation. I cannot 
support it, and I strongly urge my colleagues to reject it.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2

[[Page H7847]]

minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the 
distinguished majority whip.
  Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman 
from Washington for yielding and for his leadership over the years. We 
are going to miss him in this House, but I appreciate him leading on 
these energy efforts as he has over the years. I want to also thank my 
colleague from Nebraska (Mr. Terry), for bringing this bill forward.
  This is a jobs bill, but this is also a bill about American energy 
security, and, Mr. Speaker, it is a bill about national security.
  Let's go through each of those. First of all, this bill green-lights 
the Keystone pipeline. Here, you have got a bill that has been sitting 
on Barack Obama's desk for 6 years, Mr. Speaker, where 40,000 jobs hang 
in the mix, and President Obama continues to say ``no.''

  We are finally saying ``yes'' to 40,000 American jobs, a great 
investment in a trading partner in Canada. We can get energy from 
Canada that we would no longer have to get from Middle Eastern 
countries who don't like us, Mr. Speaker.
  What this bill also does is opens up some of those vast natural 
resources throughout the Outer Continental Shelf that are closed right 
now off the coast of places like Virginia, Alaska, and, yes, even in 
Louisiana, where in our State we have said those extra revenue 
sources--that money that would be coming into our treasury--would help 
us reduce the national debt, but the revenue-sharing States would also 
be able to play a role in that.
  If a State wants to help produce energy for America, they can also 
help our own economy. In our State, we said we want to focus on 
restoring our coast, putting that buffer in place that blocks future 
storms.
  Mr. Speaker, this also helps lower gas prices at the pumps. Families 
who are struggling in this tough economy because of all the radical 
regulations coming out of the Obama administration can finally get some 
relief in gas prices through that energy security, again, removing the 
dependence we have on Middle Eastern countries and other people who 
don't like us.
  We dealt with and started to address the threat from groups like 
ISIL, Mr. Speaker. Do you know that ISIL makes over $2 million a day 
from the oil fields they control that funds their terrorist activities?
  Let's become energy secure as a Nation and get the energy security 
that goes with it, the jobs that go with it and all the great access to 
those resources that improve our economy.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 
minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Daines), a hardworking 
member of the Natural Resources Committee.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2, the 
American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act.
  New technology has fueled a 21st century energy boom, but Americans 
are still paying way too much for everyday expenses like gas, 
groceries, and electricity. That is why the House has passed dozens of 
bills to lower energy costs and create jobs, like a bill that I 
introduced--and passed--called the Bureau of Reclamation Conduit 
Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act.
  It passed unanimously last year. This is commonsense legislation. It 
would expand hydropower production in a number of Western States. It 
creates jobs while lowering electric prices for thousands of families.
  Whether it is from approving the Keystone XL pipeline to stopping 
these out-of-touch regulations on our coal industry, the House is 
fighting to protect and grow American energy and the jobs it supports.
  In fact, in Montana alone, more than 5,000 jobs depend on coal, and 
thousands of middle class families rely on coal-fired power for an 
affordable source of energy. Fifty-one percent of the electric supply 
in Montana comes from coal.
  Construction of the Keystone pipeline will not only create thousands 
of good jobs, it is going to help keep energy prices low for Montana 
families. Let me tell you why.
  I was out traveling in eastern Montana in my pickup. I visited the 
NorVal Electric Co-op in Glasgow, Montana. It will provide power for a 
future Keystone pump station on the pipeline.
  If Keystone is built, NorVal will be able to keep their consumers' 
electric rates flat for the next 10 years, but, if it isn't, they 
expect that rates will grow upwards of 40 percent for those ratepayers 
over the course of the next decade.
  These are hardworking Montana families, many of them living paycheck 
to paycheck, many on fixed incomes, that we will help with the Keystone 
pipeline.
  Unfortunately, tomorrow marks the 6-year anniversary from the time 
the first permit to build the Keystone pipeline was filed. It took the 
Canadians 7 months to approve it. We are now at 6 years and waiting 
with this President.
  The American people have waited far too long. That is why the House 
has passed legislation to approve its construction, but the Senate 
refuses to act. It is time for the Senate and the President to join us 
in fighting for solutions to create jobs, lower energy costs, and 
protect middle class American families.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 
minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), the 
distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the chairman for yielding and for his 
leadership on this issue.
  Energy is vital to every aspect of American life. Working families, 
retirees, and businesses large and small are all dependent upon 
reliable and affordable energy.
  An unwelcome increase in the electric bill leaves many families no 
other option but to cut elsewhere. For businesses, higher energy costs 
mean less money to invest in jobs or expansion. As business costs 
increase, so does the price of goods down the line, triggering a chain 
reaction felt throughout the economy.
  Unfortunately, the Obama administration's policies are contributing 
to the rise in energy costs by discouraging exploration of domestic 
resources, imposing additional regulatory hurdles on energy creation, 
and attempting to bypass Congress to implement economically devastating 
policies like cap-and-trade.
  Today, Congress reminds the Obama administration about what they seem 
to have forgotten--that America's economy is intrinsically linked to 
affordable energy.

  This bill encourages us to expand energy production. I am 
particularly pleased that it includes provisions I have worked on for a 
long time to move forward, a lease sale off the Virginia coast.
  This sale will provide necessary energy resources for our Nation, 
while providing a significant boost to the economy of the Commonwealth 
of Virginia. It also includes other important provisions, like the 
Judiciary-approved RAPID Act, which cuts through the government red 
tape impeding development of our resources.
  Today's bill helps to ensure that America is an energy leader, 
utilizing our resources to strengthen the reliability and affordability 
of energy for American consumers.
  We must encourage more legislation like the American Energy Solutions 
for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act, adopting policies that seek 
to rebuild our economy and create more jobs.
  I urge all Members to vote for this legislation that ensures our 
energy security while boosting our economy.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4 
minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield), one of my 
classmates.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that we have this bill on 
the floor today.
  I am going to confine my remarks to one piece of legislation, and 
that is the Electricity Security and Affordability Act. This 
legislation has passed the House before, and it is designed to do two 
things. One is to reverse the extreme regulations coming out of the

[[Page H7848]]

EPA on existing coal-fired plants and new coal-fired plants.
  We all understand that the President of the United States views that 
the number one issue facing mankind today is climate change, and, while 
we all recognize that there is climate change, we do not view it as the 
most important issue facing man today.
  Because of the President's position--his extreme views--he is 
dictating to the EPA to take positions that are damaging the coal 
industry but, more important than the coal industry, damaging the 
electricity produced from coal.

                              {time}  1630

  Now, what does that mean to the American people?
  Well, how many of you are aware that CO2 emissions in 
America today are lower than they have been for 20 years?
  America does not have to take a backseat to any country in the world. 
And yet, this President, with his EPA, has passed regulations that make 
it impossible to build a new coal plant in America and in an amount 
that makes it commercially feasible to do.
  So here we are in America, doing a better job than any other country 
in the world, and yet this President, because of his extreme views, 
makes it impossible to build a new coal plant.
  Now, I would be the first to admit that a new coal plant is not going 
to be built in America because our natural gas prices are very low. We 
are fortunate, with the shale development, that gas prices are 
extremely low.
  But what if we find ourselves in the position that they found 
themselves in Europe?
  Gas prices coming from Russia are so high that they started 
mothballing their natural gas plants to produce electricity and started 
building new coal plants, and last year, they imported 53 percent of 
the coal exports from America. So, in Europe, they have that 
flexibility.
  But in America we don't have that flexibility. So, if gas prices go 
up, which they may very well do, then we can't build a new coal plant 
because it is too expensive and the technology is not there to meet the 
extreme, stringent emission standards set by EPA.
  So this legislation would stop that, and it would say, EPA, you can 
regulate CO2 emissions, but you can build a new coal plant 
if you use the best available control technology.
  Now, what do we do--you know, next June EPA is coming out with a new 
regulation that, in effect, will federalize the electricity-generating 
business in America for the first time. EPA is setting standard 
emission caps for every State in America. We already know that in 
Kentucky they have identified 15 coal units that will be closed down. 
And guess what? When they adopted this regulation, they did not do any 
thorough reliability studies.
  Now, we all recognize that renewables play an important role, but 
they cannot be the base load of electricity production in America. And 
if America is going to remain competitive in the global marketplace, we 
have to have low-cost, abundant, affordable, reliable electricity.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. So all we are saying to the President is, okay, let's 
be reasonable. This legislation will allow EPA to regulate 
CO2 emissions, but you can build a new coal plant if you use 
the best available control technology. And if you want to regulate 
existing plants, you adopt the regulation, but Congress will set the 
effective date.
  The President is going to be gone from office when all of these 
regulations really start hitting, and America is going to be hit in its 
ability to compete in the global marketplace.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  I am going to have more to say about this bill later, but I want to 
comment on the comments that were just made to us by the gentleman from 
Kentucky.
  He suggested that we don't need to do anything more about climate 
change because greenhouse gas emissions are falling in the United 
States. Well, that is not an accurate story because, while U.S. 
greenhouse gas emissions did fall in 2008 and 2009 during the economic 
recession, since that time our overall emissions have grown. 
Cumulatively, U.S. emissions grew, not fell, in 2010 and 2011, the most 
recent years for which data is available.
  But the fact of the matter is that if coal is being displaced by 
natural gas, it is not because of any regulation; it is because the 
market forces are moving in that direction. It is just cheaper.
  And why do we want to say that is wrong? Let the market work its 
will.
  But unless we regulate the emissions from powerplants that cause 
greenhouse gases to be spewed into the air, we are neglecting the major 
reason we have climate change in this country today.
  This bill would prevent the EPA from doing anything about the 
problem. Burning coal would be completely unregulated, and we would 
continue to add greenhouse gases to our atmosphere.
  I think that this is hiding their heads in the sand, denying that 
there is climate change, denying that we need to do anything about it, 
pretending like it is not a problem. This is a disservice to the 
American people and the future of our economy.
  Those businesses that develop the technologies for the future, which 
will be technologies that reduce carbon pollution, are going to be the 
place where the economies are going to be benefited, not those that 
deny the problem and do nothing about it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 
minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson).
  Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 2, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American 
Jobs Act.
  This important legislation will unleash America's energy potential, 
create thousands of jobs, and stop the administration from destroying 
tens of thousands of jobs. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.
  Representative Lamborn and I sponsored the Preventing Government 
Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act, which is a 
portion of this package. This specific title of the bill stops the 
administration's efforts to virtually eliminate underground mining in 
the Eastern United States, cost thousands of jobs, and lead to 
skyrocketing energy costs for all Americans.

  Since President Obama came into office, his Department of the 
Interior has tried to rewrite the stream buffer zone rule. The 
President's preferred rule would cost at least 7,000 direct jobs and 
thousands more indirect jobs. This estimate is the administration's own 
estimate, and it could potentially be much worse.
  The President's rewrite of the rule has been ongoing now for 5 years, 
has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, and has been the subject of an 
ongoing investigation by Chairman Hastings and the House Natural 
Resources Committee.
  As we have seen across the administration, the Interior Department 
has largely refused to turn over documents and recordings to the 
committee in a clear violation of the House's oversight authority. The 
administration is clearly holding back information that they know would 
be damaging to their efforts.
  The House has previously passed this legislation on two separate 
occasions, both times on a bipartisan basis. Unfortunately, the Senate 
has refused to even consider the legislation either time.
  I specifically want to thank Chairman Hastings and Chairman Lamborn 
for their leadership on this issue. Without their investigation of the 
Department on this rulemaking process, we might not have been able to 
stop it from going forward. However, we will continue our oversight and 
make sure that the Department doesn't try to push through a rule in 
their final 2 years.
  Again, I thank the chairman for his hard work not only this 
particular title of H.R. 2, but for his work and leadership on the 
entire package. This legislation will be a big step forward toward 
energy independence and security, and I urge all of my colleagues to 
support the legislation.

[[Page H7849]]

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is not a new bill to be presented on the House 
floor. It is a compilation of bills that have already been proposed and 
passed, for the most part, on a partisan Republican basis.
  People have complained on the other side of the aisle that their 
bills didn't go anywhere. Well, they didn't go anywhere because they 
didn't have support in the other body, the U.S. Senate. The President 
of the United States said he would veto it.
  They can't pass a bill in the House with Republican votes and put it 
into law. So if you can't pass a law without working with the Democrats 
and reaching compromises, what Republicans think is the most effective 
thing to do is to say it over and over and over again.
  Let's not forget, we know that our Republican colleagues didn't like 
the Affordable Care Act, sometimes known as ObamaCare, so on this House 
floor we voted over 50 times to repeal it.
  The Republicans said we are going to repeal it and replace it. Well, 
we never heard what they are going to replace it with. They just wanted 
to repeal it. Well, they didn't repeal it when they passed the first 
vote, and they didn't repeal it when they passed the 50th vote. But 
they thought if they say it over and over and again and do it over and 
over again, they would get somewhere, I presume.
  When psychologists talk about this, they call it perseveration, 
saying the same thing over and over again.
  But I don't think this is a reasonable way to legislate. If they want 
to legislate and you don't have the power, you have to compromise. You 
have to talk with the President. You have to talk with the Senate 
majority. You have to talk with your own colleagues. But the 
Republicans don't want to talk to anybody except themselves over and 
over and over again.
  Let me give you an example. Since Republicans took control of the 
House less than 4 years ago, they have cast over 500 antienvironmental 
votes. They have voted over 500 times to weaken protection for public 
health and the environment, to let polluters off the hook, and even to 
deny science.
  Well, I presume they think that is a good idea. They have voted 
against clean renewable energy and energy efficiency. They have voted 
to give taxpayer dollars to oil companies. They have voted to allow 
more toxic mercury pollution in our air and more contaminants in our 
drinking water.
  I suppose they think that is a good idea, but others don't agree with 
them nor, I think, do the American people.
  They have voted repeatedly to deny the reality of climate change and 
block any action to cut carbon pollution. They don't want a cap-and-
trade. They don't want a price on carbon. They don't want the EPA to 
regulate.
  What is their plan? Well, their plan is to deny the existence of 
climate change and pretend it is not doing any harm.
  We have kept track of these votes that we consider antienvironmental, 
and there were over 300 antienvironmental votes last Congress, and 
today Ranking Member DeFazio and I released another report that there 
were over 200 more antienvironment votes in this Congress.
  Now, Republicans like to complain about a mythical war on coal. It is 
a fantasy. But there is a war on the environment that is being waged on 
the floor of the House, and the bill before us today is proof of that. 
It contains dozens of antienvironment provisions.
  All of us want prosperity and security for America. We know, many of 
us, that climate change is harming us today through droughts and fires 
and floods and more, and we know that it will endanger our children's 
future if we don't act.
  Democrats, for the most part, have recognized the threat and we know 
that we can tackle it while, at the same time, growing jobs and our 
economy.
  How do we know this? Because that was the history of the Clean Air 
Act. Every time we strengthened the Clean Air Act, industry opponents 
said it would cost too much, it would weaken our economy, it would mean 
lost jobs, but when we acted, we found that our air is cleaner and our 
economy is stronger.
  Republicans take a much different approach. They refuse to admit that 
climate change is real because then, if they did, they would have to do 
something about it. Their policies embodied in this bill deny the 
problem and threaten our future.

  Remember the health care debate? We said it is not fair to 
discriminate against people.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. WAXMAN. I yield myself 2 additional minutes.
  We said it is not fair to discriminate and deny, allow insurance 
companies to deny the chance for people with preexisting conditions to 
buy insurance.
  The Republicans said, Oh, yeah, we don't think that is a good idea, 
but they didn't have a plan to do anything about it. They were happy to 
let it continue.
  They wanted to say it was okay for insurance companies to put caps on 
the amount that the policies would pay. They wanted a system where 
people were priced out of insurance; if they couldn't afford it, well, 
that is just too bad.
  They deny the realities of what has been happening to millions of 
Americans, and now we have a health care law that is benefiting 
millions of Americans.
  This bill is not about health care, but they are denying these 
environmental problems and they are trying to keep Federal agencies 
from doing their job.
  Powerplants are the single largest uncontrolled source of carbon 
pollution in the United States. EPA has proposed critically important 
regulations to cut carbon pollution for powerplants in a balanced, 
cost-effective, commonsense way.

                              {time}  1645

  These rules would cut smog, and they would stop deadly particulate 
pollution. They would save thousands of lives per year and avoid tens 
of billions of dollars in costs, but this bill eliminates EPA's 
authority to issue any rules. Nothing can happen.
  Mr. Speaker, powerplants aren't the only source of carbon pollution. 
Tar sands are another big source. They produce 17 percent more carbon 
pollution than conventional oil, yet this bill grants a regulatory 
earmark to the Canadian Keystone XL pipeline, effectively exempting it 
from all U.S. Federal permitting requirements, including ones that 
apply to every other major construction project in the United States.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. WAXMAN. I yield myself an additional 1 minute.
  This bill creates a new process to rubberstamp every other pending 
and future tar sands pipeline. It even exempts these massive projects 
from the National Environmental Policy Act by limiting the NEPA review, 
which was adopted by Congress overwhelmingly on a bipartisan basis, to 
only a tiny sliver of the pipeline only where it crosses the border. 
There are many other anti-environmental provisions. This bill would 
allow the Department of Energy to veto the rules established by the 
EPA, even though they are not within the jurisdiction or the expertise 
of the Department of Energy.
  This all may make sense to the oil companies, and this may be a 
giveaway to the Koch Brothers, but I don't think Americans would agree 
that this is a good bill. Energy interests should not automatically 
trump everything else we care about, such as raising healthy children.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will vote against this bill. We 
have had it on the floor too many times, and I hope that we defeat it 
this time.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 
minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), a member of the 
Natural Resources Committee.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, my late mother used to say maybe I should 
be a college professor because I really do enjoy educating people, and 
nothing gives me more thrill than to help educate people here on the 
floor.
  My friend says that Republicans deny what is happening to millions of 
people. No. Actually, there are 11 million people who are not working 
today who were working when President Obama took office and who are not 
retired. They just gave up looking for jobs. We care deeply about those 
people.

[[Page H7850]]

  When it comes to climate change, my friend says the Republicans 
continue to deny its existence. Climate change is real. It is a fact. 
Where I live it happens four times a year. It is real. We acknowledge 
that. It is a real thing.
  Now, under this bill, my friend says that coal would be completely 
unregulated. He is right if he is talking about China, but here in the 
United States, where we are talking about real jobs, cheaper energy, 
and helping families who are struggling to make ends meet, we are 
talking about helping Americans, not the Chinese to whom we lose so 
many jobs.
  My friend says bills don't have support in the Senate. He is right if 
he is talking about Harry Reid, but if Harry Reid will bring these 
bills to the floor, my friend is going to see Democrats either vote for 
them or lose their seats. They know they have to support them, because 
it helps real Americans.
  Now, what our President and others on the other side of the aisle 
don't acknowledge is the fact that the policies they have supported 
help Big Oil. They help their friends in the crony capitalist Big 
Business. They help the Solyndras and those kinds of folks, but the 
fact is, even when President Obama proposed what he called a ``jobs 
bill,'' it gutted independent oil companies and gas companies in 
America. Big oil companies only operate about 5 percent of the oil and 
gas wells in America, and 95 percent are drilled and operated by 
independent oil companies. They are regulated. If we really want to 
help America, we need to pass this bill and force Harry Reid to either 
deal with it or lose his position as majority leader.
  My friend had previously talked about wilderness areas. National 
parks are suffering. Why? Because this administration and my friends 
across the aisle and Harry Reid want to blow money on solar companies 
that won't work, yet, actually, if this administration were not 
reducing the number of permits by 40 to 60 percent from what they were 
under President Clinton, then we would have all the money we would need 
to have the most wonderful wilderness areas and national parks that you 
can imagine.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Mr. GOHMERT. We are pro-people. They are pro-government, pro-
regulation. Let's get back to helping the people, like the 80-year-old 
lady who lives outside of Carthage who told me she was born with only a 
wooden stove in her home. She may die with it if we don't stop gutting 
the energy that we can produce.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time we have 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California has 25 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Washington has 22 minutes remaining.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I won't take 25 minutes to rebut the 
statement that was just made. I yield myself 3 minutes.
  I am impressed by the statement we had from a man who is trying to 
educate, as he says, the American people in that Republicans worry 
about 11 million people not working. I don't know if that number is 
right or wrong, but we have got millions of people without jobs today. 
It is because the Congress is busy passing, over and over and over 
again, bills to benefit the oil companies and the energy industry, and 
not to help people get jobs.

  Now, they care so much about them, but they won't give them 
unemployment compensation. They care so much about them that they want 
to take away their food stamps. They care so much about them that they 
don't want to allow them to have a minimum living wage. They care so 
much about them that they want them to go to the lowest paying jobs 
they can possibly find, and if they can't find them, well, it must be 
their own fault.
  Harry Reid is the majority leader in the Senate. The Senate allows 
amendments to any bill--they don't have to be germane--but in the House 
of Representatives, no bill or amendment can be offered unless it is 
germane or permitted under the rule, and the Rules Committee is 
controlled by the Republican leadership in the House.
  If we would have been allowed to have voted on an immigration bill 
that passed overwhelmingly on a bipartisan basis in the Senate, it 
would have passed the House, but we were denied that opportunity. If we 
had been allowed to vote on background checks on gun purchases so that 
we wouldn't find guns and assault weapons in the hands of the people 
who are a danger to their communities because of mental illness, or who 
have criminal records where they have already used guns for illegal 
purposes, that would have passed. Even a majority of the National Rifle 
Association supports that kind of measure.
  Let's not be so pious as we educate the American people to say, ``Oh, 
in the Senate, they can't even consider these things,'' because, in the 
House, we are denied every day an opportunity to talk about many 
things. Let me give you another example that is pertinent to this 
debate.
  The Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the issue of 
climate change. We have not been able to get a single hearing that 
would bring in the scientists to tell us why they are concerned about 
climate change, to tell us all the pronouncements from consensus 
discussions among scientists internationally and here from the 
Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences and others 
as to why they think this is a problem that we have got to deal with. 
If you don't even allow the scientists to talk, you are purposely 
encouraging your own ignorance and acting upon it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 
minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), the chairman of the 
Energy and Commerce Committee.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, it is not often in life that you get a second 
chance, but, today, we are here to offer the Senate a second chance, a 
second chance to stand up and say ``yes''--``yes'' to these American 
energy solutions that, indeed, will help create jobs and lower costs 
for American families.
  Several of the bills included in today's package were advanced 
through our committee, Energy and Commerce, and many were bipartisan 
from the very start. It includes a solution to finally build the 
Keystone pipeline 6 years after the application went forward.
  Here we are 6 years later from when the application was first 
submitted. We still don't have a pipeline, and folks are still out of 
work. It shouldn't take 6 years to approve a pipeline, and the 
President's continued political delays are simply unacceptable. That is 
why we are taking action to ensure that this does not happen again. We 
have got a solution today to bring certainty to the approval process 
for cross-border energy projects so that we don't have to endure 
another Keystone-like delay in the future.
  As part of the Architecture of Abundance, we are also going to need 
to build more interstate natural gas pipelines. Last winter, millions 
of customers throughout the country suffered high heating bills, along 
with the cold temperatures, due to inadequate infrastructure. Today, we 
are voting on a solution to get those much-needed pipelines in the 
ground safely and quickly so that we can start delivering relief from 
those high energy bills.
  We are also working to prevent energy prices from spiking even 
further with solutions to stop EPA's destructive new rules on 
powerplants and other energy-related rules that will lead only to 
higher prices and, yes, to fewer jobs. Everyone is affected by energy 
cost increases, but they also hurt the Nation's poor and the most 
vulnerable.
  One of the easiest and most effective ways to save consumers money is 
through energy efficiency, which is why we are also advancing solutions 
that encourage the development and use of new efficient and renewable 
technologies--very important.
  Finally, we have a solution to not only create energy jobs here at 
home but also to help our allies across the world by giving them access 
to our abundant natural gas supply. Just this morning, a few hours ago, 
we heard from the Ukrainian President about the urgent need for the 
U.S. to act and help weaken Russia's threat to the region. Every one of 
us was on his feet.
  He said this:

       You support a Nation, meaning the United States, that has 
     chosen freedom. In Ukraine, you don't have to build a 
     democracy; it already exists. You need to defend it.


[[Page H7851]]


  That is what our LNG export bill does.
  Many of America's energy solutions that we are voting on today are 
part of the package that received, yes, strong bipartisan support in 
the House, but Senate Leader Reid has failed to bring any of them to 
the floor for a vote.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the chairman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Mr. UPTON. Creating jobs and keeping energy affordable is a subject 
that should rise above partisanship. Today, we are giving the Senate 
yet another shot to try to put politics aside and American families 
first. We welcome the Senate to join us as we say ``yes'' to American 
jobs and ``yes'' to American energy.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the chairman how many more 
speakers he has?
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I will advise the gentleman 
that we still have several more. I will advise you when we get down to 
that point, but we do have several Members still waiting to speak.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 
minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Energy Solutions 
for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act. This bill is a substantive 
step towards more affordable energy prices and job creation across the 
country.
  Today's average gas price of $3.28 is well up from the $2.35 per 
gallon in 2009. Not only are gas prices up, but so too are the prices 
of groceries and the prices for heating and cooling your home.
  Among other important measures, this bill would approve the Keystone 
pipeline. Friday marks 6 years of delays on Keystone by this 
administration. That is too long for a job-creating measure. Domestic 
energy production helps middle class Americans with their everyday 
costs.
  Vote ``yes'' for the middle class. Vote ``yes'' for jobs and more 
affordable energy. Vote ``yes'' on this bill.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.

                              {time}  1700

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I would advise my friend 
from California that I am prepared to close if the gentleman is 
prepared to close.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), who ought to be 
here rightfully as a full voting Member of the House, in my opinion.
  Ms. NORTON. I thank my good friend from California. I can't say 
enough about how much this Congress will miss him and how indebted we 
are to his outstanding service.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to say some closing words about this 
Congress. I have spent most of my time in the Congress in the minority, 
with my good friends on the other side in control.
  I must say that this is a most unusual 113th Congress. This package 
of bills is a shameful way to close this Congress.
  Usually, this is a time--as I have seen it under Republican 
Congresses--when you make room for must-pass bills, not for never-to-
pass bills or sure to be vetoed bills.
  Today certainly was not the time to make up for running through the 
113th Congress with neither an agenda, nor legislation to show for it, 
perhaps to show that Congress was entitled to be paid for being here 
for 2 years.
  Instead of some must-pass bills--and I will suggest a few--what we 
have heard from my good friends on the other side are some tax and 
other giveaway bills that add to the deficit or bills that should be 
stamped ``special interest.''
  There was legislation before us that, with small changes in law, 
could have been passed. Had those bills passed, they never would have 
been considered bills of one side or the other.
  For instance, the Paycheck Fairness Act simply updates, in quite 
small ways, the Equal Pay Act. That is the act that I administered when 
I chaired the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It is already on 
the books. Nobody wants to repeal it.
  All the Paycheck Fairness Act would have done was to make small 
changes to bring it into the 21st century, and those changes have no 
ideological impact.
  Or take the Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act. That begged for 
passage, to give students faced with debt and no jobs--this cohort of 
students who had the bad luck to come out of school in a bad economy--
some relief. That bill surely deserved bipartisan support.
  For me, however, the biggest piece of missing legislation is the 
reauthorized transportation bill, and I say that because that would 
have been the functional equivalent of the JOBS Act of 2014; instead, 
we are going to leave here this evening, having given nothing to the 
American people to assure them that there will be jobs for the 7 weeks 
that we are gone. That is what they most wanted. That is what we have 
been given least.
  We are on track to beat last year's record. We are on track to become 
the least productive Congress in the history of our country. Closing 
the Congress with a bunch of never-to-pass bills that nobody envisioned 
would be taken up will never make up for the shameful record of the 
113th Congress.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
  Mr. Speaker, as I understand what the gentlelady has said is that, if 
we had passed a transportation bill, that would have provided help for 
our infrastructure and provided jobs. We didn't vote for that bill even 
once.
  The gentlelady also said we should have done a paycheck fairness law. 
Well, we didn't have a chance to vote on that. The Speaker of the House 
or the majority leader of the House wouldn't allow it to be brought to 
the House floor.
  So many young people are struggling with student loans, and there 
have been proposals to deal with that, yet we were not allowed to even 
vote on a bill to deal with the student loan problem.
  We haven't tackled the real things that people care about, and, if 
they care about what is in this bill today, it has been passed by the 
House. Why aren't we moving on and using the time on the House floor 
for other worthwhile purposes?
  I think that is a question that the American people are going to have 
to think about as they go to the polls in another month, but we have 
had a 6-week recess. Now, we have been here for 2 whole weeks, and, 
now, we are going to take another recess until the election, and then 
we will come back for maybe another couple of weeks.
  It doesn't mean you have to work too hard in the Congress of the 
United States to get nothing done. We are getting nothing done, and the 
American people are losing out.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. It has been acknowledged on both 
sides of the aisle that this bill is a package of bills that has passed 
the Senate. It has been talked about that the Senate hasn't acted on 
the individual bills. It has been talked about the Senate hasn't acted 
on a lot of bills.
  As a matter of fact, the main bill we passed yesterday, the 
continuing resolution--which is a terrible way to run the government, 
by the way, when you haven't got certainty--was passed largely because 
the Senate had not passed one of the 13 House bills out of the Senate. 
How do you negotiate when you have that sort of a situation?
  Here is a point that has not been made today--and maybe my friends on 
the other side of the aisle aren't familiar with what our Founders 
envisioned when they created a bicameral legislative body.
  In order for our system to work, both Houses have to pass bills. Now, 
the American people, in their judgment--

[[Page H7852]]

you know, they made good judgments every 2 years. Sometimes, some of us 
don't like what that judgment is--but, in their wisdom, they created 
one of the Houses that is controlled by the Democrats, and, in their 
wisdom, they created a House that is controlled by Republicans.
  Now, just by the very definition of that, clearly, you are going to 
have two different views--clearly, you are going to have two different 
views. I acknowledge that, and I doubt if anybody on the other side 
would dispute that too.
  When we talk about sending bills that we think are important from 
here over to the Senate--and, by the way, I should add that within this 
package of bills were a number of bills that came out of the House 
Natural Resources Committee that I have the privilege to chair. Every 
one of them, every one of them passed with bipartisan support. That 
means there are Democrats that voted for it.
  Here is the issue: if the Senate, then, has a different view on these 
topics than we do, then fine. Pass a bill. Pass a bill. If there is a 
difference between the House version and the Senate version, we have a 
means to work that out. It is called going to conference, but the fact 
is the Senate hasn't passed anything.
  So how do you go to conference? The only way that we find that we 
could make our point over and over and over again is to say, ``Okay. We 
will send it over.'' Maybe somebody, somebody in the other body will 
finally get the message and say, ``Maybe we ought to pass it.''
  Finally, I just want to make another point too. I had the privilege 
of serving on the Rules Committee for 12 years, and, yes, the Rules 
Committee, in a larger body like the House, does set the rules for 
debate.
  When the Democrats were in the majority, they set the rules for 
debate that we criticized. Obviously, they are criticizing us because 
we are setting the rules for the debate, but my friend from California 
said that the Senate doesn't work that way with rules. They work by 
unanimous consent, that anybody can offer an amendment on any bill.
  Well, that may be, that may be how the Senate rules work, but, when 
it is manipulated by the majority leader, all that goes away. It is a 
process that--I admit I don't know a whole lot about the Senate rules--
but it is a process called filling the amendment tree, amendments to be 
offered, and the majority leader fills the tree, and nobody has an 
amendment.
  It has gotten so bad, so bad over there in the last 6 years that the 
junior Senator from Alaska, the junior Senator from Alaska who has been 
there for 6 years has not had an opportunity to offer one amendment on 
the floor, and the junior Senator happens to be a member of the 
majority party. You talk about openness. There is no openness that way.
  We feel in this body here that the best way to make the case by 
debating bills that we think are important for the American people--
jobs bills, energy bills, energy security bills--the best way to do 
that is to continue to send the same stuff over to the Senate. Maybe, 
maybe--because hope springs eternal, at least from my perspective--they 
will take one of these up.
  All they have to do, by the way, is take up one of these bills and 
change it and send it back over here, and we will negotiate the 
difference, but they haven't even done that. You see, that was never 
acknowledged during this whole debate of defense of what the Senate has 
or has not done, but, as a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly 
what has happened, and that is why we are where we are.

  Mr. Speaker, this is, once again, a very good bill that deals with 
energy and energy security and American jobs. I urge its passage, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SANFORD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to support this bill. I 
believe in energy independence, as do the people I represent at home, 
and accordingly am supportive of opening up these offshore areas--but I 
do not think this should occur without the concurrence and input of 
coastal states that might be affected were something to go wrong. This 
fits with what I have consistently heard from people up and down the 
coast.
  Not all decisions must be made in Washington, and the idea of a 
drilling rig going up just a few miles from our coast without having to 
acknowledge any degree of state input to me is the codification of 
Washington control. Some may be for a drilling rig these few thousands 
of feet from their local beach, others may be against it . . . but in 
keeping with the principal of federalism, that decision needs to be 
made by those affected--not an unelected government worker in DC.
  Toward that end, I introduced a bill, H.R. 3051, the Coastal States 
Extension Act of 2013, which would give states the final say on oil and 
natural gas leases out to twelve nautical miles from the current three 
nautical mile limit. States no longer have a direct economic tie as you 
move beyond the line of sight and in this regard, I thought my bill a 
reasonable compromise between drill and no drill interests. This would 
give states the flexibility to consider what is best for their 
economies in terms of the balance between tourism, drilling, fisheries 
and other considerations. Texas, for instance, already has control of 
oil and natural gas leases out to nine nautical miles and the model 
there has worked well. It has not hampered drilling. I testified before 
the Rules committee the last time this bill came up, but unfortunately, 
this idea was not attached as an amendment to the bill we had before us 
and the current bill before us tonight is unamendable. I would have 
supported the bill if my proposal had been included and I hope we can 
include it in the future.
  Toward that end, I look forward to working with the Committee on 
Natural Resources to find a way forward on striking a more favorable 
balance between states' rights and energy independence.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2, ``the 
American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act.'' 
I thank the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Terry, for his initiative on 
this bill.
  Title III of this bill includes H.R. 2850, ``the Hydraulic Fracturing 
Study Improvement Act'' that was reported out of the Science Committee 
last year.
  The EPA has been conducting a ``Study of the Potential Impact of 
Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources'' since 2010.
  Unfortunately, the EPA's track record of sloppy and secret science 
and rushed conclusions suggest this study will be yet another attempt 
to justify new regulations to derail our shale gas revolution and the 
manufacturing renaissance.
  The Science Committee language in Title III of this bill addresses a 
fundamental flaw in EPA's hydraulic fracturing study design. 
Specifically, the current study is focused on a search for possible 
problems with hydraulic fracturing instead of identifying what is 
likely or probable.
  EPA's own Science Advisory Board has repeatedly recommended that the 
Agency focus on probabilities and uncertainties in its work.
  The Science Committee provision addresses those concerns, and 
requires EPA to follow basic, objective scientific processes in 
carrying out its study. It also requires peer review of any final or 
interim report before its release.
  Problems with this study underscore EPA's lack of transparency and 
serious flaws in its peer review process. EPA's conclusions are used to 
justify billions of dollars in regulations. Science that supports 
public regulations should be public, not secret.
  The Science Advisory Board was created to provide independent 
scientific advice to Congress and the EPA. However, EPA has hijacked 
this process.
  EPA cherry-picked the reviewers. Among the 22 member Advisory Board 
panel that the EPA created to look at EPA's hydraulic fracturing 
research, no member had experience in hydraulic fracturing or had an 
understanding of current industry practices.
  The scientific panel that reviews EPA studies should be balanced and 
unbiased. And the data behind EPA regulations should be available for 
independent scientific review. These principles cannot be compromised.
  I hope to bring H.R. 4012, ``the Secret Science Reform Act,'' and 
H.R. 1422, ``the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013,'' to 
the floor this fall to address these systemic problems.
  The provisions in H.R. 2 are an important first step in ensuring the 
EPA adheres to these principles in their report on hydraulic 
fracturing.
  More comprehensive EPA scientific reform is the next step we must 
take in the public's interest. We cannot afford to wait.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today we are considering once again a 
range of bills to give away public resources to Big Oil, strip 
environmental and public health protections, and prioritize drilling 
over all other uses, including recreation and conservation, on federal 
lands.
  Let's look at the facts. Oil and gas production has reached near 
historic highs in the United States. Our dependence on foreign oil has 
dropped from 57 percent in 2008 to 29 percent today. The provisions in 
this bill--which would block the proposed carbon standard to protect 
public health, order federal

[[Page H7853]]

agencies to pretend that climate change has no impact on our 
communities, and limit oversight on drilling projects on federal 
lands--will not improve our energy security. They will endanger our 
health and resources.
  There is nothing new in today's debate. This package includes the 
same old ideas that the Majority has been pushing, without result, 
since 2011. Rather than working together for the American people, they 
are recycling the same partisan agenda. Our constituents deserve 
better. I urge a no vote.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 727, the previous question is ordered on 
the bill.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. I am opposed in its original form.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Schneider moves to recommit the bill H.R. 2 to the 
     Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Energy 
     and Commerce with instructions to report the same back to the 
     House forthwith with the following amendment:
       Add at the end the following:

                  DIVISION D--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SEC. 1. POLICING EXCESSIVE SPECULATION IN ENERGY MARKETS.

       The Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended 
     by redesignating section 44 as section 45, and by inserting 
     after section 43 the following:

     ``SEC. 44. REVENUES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMODITY 
                   FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION.

       ``(a) Establishment of Treasury Account.--The Secretary of 
     the Treasury (in this section referred to as the `Secretary') 
     shall establish an account in the Treasury of the United 
     States.
       ``(b) Deposit Into Account of Certain Revenues Generated by 
     This Act.--The Secretary shall deposit into the account 
     established under subsection (a) $10,000,000 of the total of 
     the amounts received by the United States each fiscal year 
     under leases issued under this Act or any plan, strategy, or 
     program under this Act.
       ``(c) Availability and Use of Funds.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the amounts in 
     the account established under subsection (a) shall be made 
     available to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to use 
     its existing authorities to limit excessive speculation in 
     energy markets.
       ``(2) Subject to appropriations.--The authority provided in 
     paragraph (1) may be exercised only to such extent, and with 
     respect to such amounts, as are provided in advance in 
     appropriations Acts.''.

     SEC. 2. PROTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY.

       Any lease issued pursuant to this Act shall specify that 
     United States oil, petroleum products, and natural gas shall 
     not be exported to any nation, corporation, or person that--
       (1) provides material support to al Qaeda, the Islamic 
     State of Iraq and the Levant, or other terrorist 
     organizations;
       (2) is a state sponsor of terrorism; or
       (3) steals America's military technology or intellectual 
     property through cyber-attacks such as Russia and China.

     SEC. 3. NO EXPEDITED PERMITTING FOR CORPORATIONS THAT RELEASE 
                   TOXIC AIR POLLUTANTS FROM PETROLEUM COKE.

       Section 17(p)(2) of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 
     226(p)(2)), as amended by section 21111 of division B of this 
     Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(F) No expedited permitting for corporations that release 
     toxic air pollutants from petroleum coke.--Subparagraphs (A), 
     (B), (C), and (D) shall not apply to any corporation or other 
     person that owns petroleum coke stored at a petroleum coke 
     facility, or owns or operates such a facility, that--
       ``(i) releases toxic air pollutants that harm air quality 
     or contaminate drinking water; and
       ``(ii) is located within 5 miles of a school, hospital, or 
     nursing home.''.

  Mr. SCHNEIDER (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent to dispense with the reading.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Objection is heard.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk continued to read.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent that the reading be dispensed with.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill 
which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, 
the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the underlying bill and 
to the policy direction that this legislation would take us in.
  As I read this legislation, I asked myself a simple question: What in 
this bill will improve the everyday lives of my constituents? What will 
help make our country and our communities stronger? Unfortunately, the 
answer is nothing.
  This bill would roll back commonsense safeguards that protect the 
communities I represent and the Great Lakes upon which we depend from 
harmful pollutants emitted from powerplants.
  This bill would reduce the quality of our drinking water and threaten 
the safety of the air we breathe. This bill would deny the necessity of 
combating climate change through the regulation of greenhouse gases, 
even as the communities I represent and the communities around our 
country have been ravaged by unprecedented severe weather events that 
can only be attributed to the effects of climate change.
  This bill does not seek to create a healthier environment for our 
children; instead, it sacrifices our ability to pass to future 
generations their rightful legacy of a clean, healthy, and dynamic 
natural world.
  For these and other related reasons, I offer an amendment to this 
legislation. This amendment would seek to limit the release of toxic 
air pollutants around schools, hospitals, and nursing homes from the 
massive storage of petroleum coke in populated areas.
  This toxic dust, when improperly stored, can easily become an 
airborne pollutant which the EPA has shown to cause severe health 
effects to the heart and lungs.
  It would ensure that we safeguard our strategic resources by denying 
U.S. oil and gas exports from being sold to any country, company, or 
individual that supports or harbors terrorist organizations, including 
ISIS or al Qaeda. Denying our enemies these critical resources is in 
the vital national security interest of the United States.
  Finally, this amendment would empower the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission to combat energy speculation which manipulates fuel prices 
and distorts markets, harming consumers at the gas pump.
  Increasing these efforts will bolster transparency for consumers 
while discouraging bad actors from gaming energy markets for financial 
gain.
  Like many of my colleagues in this Chamber, I want to pursue an 
energy policy that utilizes an all-of-the-above strategy, including 
renewable energy and innovative technologies to save consumers money at 
the pump and lower their home energy costs.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation does not 
achieve this goal and, in fact, would do harmful damage to our 
environment and the health of our communities. My amendment would be a 
step forward rather than several steps backward in the underlying bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this commonsense 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, this is probably my last 
opportunity to respond to a Democratic motion to recommit, and I have 
heard a whole gamut of them in the time that I have had the privilege 
to do that, and I kind of surmise, from reading the motion to recommit, 
that he is talking about energy and energy supply.

[[Page H7854]]

  Well, Mr. Speaker, that is precisely what the underlying legislation 
is all about. My friends on the other side of the aisle talked about 
how oil and gas production has gone up in the United States--increased 
in the United States--which it has.
  But, Mr. Speaker, he left out the important part: it is not because 
of this administration, it is in spite of this administration's 
actions, because all of that activity is increasing on State and 
private lands where they don't have the burdensome regulation from the 
Federal Government inhibiting that growth.
  However, the focus of this legislation is to do exactly the same 
thing which happened on private and State lands on Federal lands 
because, if you have a problem with supply, what is the best way to 
respond to that? You increase the opportunity for supply.
  What does that do to the marketplace? In the long run, it tends to 
lower prices. Who benefits? American people, American jobs.
  Mr. Speaker, I just simply want to say these motions to recommit have 
been procedural motions. They have been political motions over time, 
not that that isn't something we deal with on the floor, but, once 
again, it is a motion that, I think, is not worthy of passing.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject--reject--the motion to 
recommit and vote for the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of today, 
further proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________