The entirety of this bill relies on whom is serving in government and their moral affiliation with environmental protections. That is what this is all about. It is corrupt as the day is long and picks up on the corruption instilled by Bush/Cheney.
This is new. Now, Vieques Island not only is viewed as being on their own to the deadly toxins and weapons of the USA Navy, they will have the additional insult to submitting to the exploitation of the petroleum industry. Aren't Republicans wonderful people. They only care about the money.
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS—In this section:
‘‘(1) COASTAL STATE—The term ‘coastal State’ includes a territory of the
‘‘(1) COASTAL STATE—The term ‘coastal State’ includes a territory of the
United States.
This is the existing laws governing revenues of offshore leases:
All rentals, royalties, and other sums paid (click here) to the Secretary or the Secretary of the Navy under any lease on the outer Continental Shelf for the period from June 5, 1950, to date, and thereafter shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States and credited to miscellaneous receipts.
Up to this bill by the House all revenues from natural resource leases went to the deposit of the USA Treasury. The entire amount. Now, the House wants to play footsie with the states and who knows who else to hand out monetary incentives to override the will of the people. Republicans are great people, aren't they? Generous to a fault. As if the National Debt and our credit rating weren't even a consideration.
This goes beyond outrageous. This bill is hideous, ill conceived without any basis in good governance. This is pure unadulterated stupidity. I feel bad for Democrats that have to exist in this milieu of hubris in the US House.
The inmates are running the asylum and this is rock solid proof of it.
A departure from existing policy to this extent requires hearings both congressional and public to formulate the correct policy for this activity by the government. This is nothing but throwing down the gauntlet for the purpose of pleasing cronies. It is knee deep in corruption and willful miss use of government power.
And the Republicans like to call it a Jobs Bill. LIARS!!!!!!!
‘‘(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 areas of the outer Continental Shelf that are authorized to be made available for leasing as a result of enactment of the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act 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 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, including a lease issued before, on, or after such date of enactment.’’; and
(3) by inserting before subsection (c) (as so designated) the following
This will increase the need for raising federal taxes. What this bill does is distribute federal assets to states. This bill supplements State treasuries at the very least with federal dollars. It is not equitable. The entire 50 states won't receive these monies, only the states where mandatory leases are imposed.
‘(a) PAYMENT OF NEW LEASING REVENUES TO COASTAL STATES
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-graph (2), of the amount of new leasing revenues received by the United States each fiscal year, 37.5percent shall be allocated and paid in accordance with subsection (b) to coastal States that are affected States with respect to the leases under whichthose revenues are received by the United States.‘‘(2) PHASE-IN‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), paragraph (1) shall be applied—
This is existing law:
(4) since exploration, development, and production of the minerals of the outer Continental Shelf will have (not may have) significant impacts on coastal and non-coastal areas of the coastal States, and on other affected States, and, in recognition of the national interest in the effective management of the marine, coastal, and human environments—
This is the existing laws governing revenues of offshore leases:
All rentals, royalties, and other sums paid (click here) to the Secretary or the Secretary of the Navy under any lease on the outer Continental Shelf for the period from June 5, 1950, to date, and thereafter shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States and credited to miscellaneous receipts.
Up to this bill by the House all revenues from natural resource leases went to the deposit of the USA Treasury. The entire amount. Now, the House wants to play footsie with the states and who knows who else to hand out monetary incentives to override the will of the people. Republicans are great people, aren't they? Generous to a fault. As if the National Debt and our credit rating weren't even a consideration.
This goes beyond outrageous. This bill is hideous, ill conceived without any basis in good governance. This is pure unadulterated stupidity. I feel bad for Democrats that have to exist in this milieu of hubris in the US House.
The inmates are running the asylum and this is rock solid proof of it.
A departure from existing policy to this extent requires hearings both congressional and public to formulate the correct policy for this activity by the government. This is nothing but throwing down the gauntlet for the purpose of pleasing cronies. It is knee deep in corruption and willful miss use of government power.
And the Republicans like to call it a Jobs Bill. LIARS!!!!!!!
‘‘(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 areas of the outer Continental Shelf that are authorized to be made available for leasing as a result of enactment of the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act 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 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, including a lease issued before, on, or after such date of enactment.’’; and
(3) by inserting before subsection (c) (as so designated) the following
This will increase the need for raising federal taxes. What this bill does is distribute federal assets to states. This bill supplements State treasuries at the very least with federal dollars. It is not equitable. The entire 50 states won't receive these monies, only the states where mandatory leases are imposed.
‘(a) PAYMENT OF NEW LEASING REVENUES TO COASTAL STATES
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-graph (2), of the amount of new leasing revenues received by the United States each fiscal year, 37.5percent shall be allocated and paid in accordance with subsection (b) to coastal States that are affected States with respect to the leases under whichthose revenues are received by the United States.‘‘(2) PHASE-IN‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), paragraph (1) shall be applied—
This is existing law:
(4) since exploration, development, and production of the minerals of the outer Continental Shelf will have (not may have) significant impacts on coastal and non-coastal areas of the coastal States, and on other affected States, and, in recognition of the national interest in the effective management of the marine, coastal, and human environments—
(A)
such States and their affected local
governments may require assistance in protecting their coastal zones and
other affected areas from any temporary or permanent adverse effects of
such impacts;
(B)
the distribution of a portion of the
receipts from the leasing of mineral resources of the outer Continental
Shelf adjacent to State lands, as provided under section
1337
(g)
of this title, will provide affected coastal States and localities with
funds which may be used for the mitigation of adverse economic and
environmental effects related to the development of such resources; and
(C)
such States, and through such States,
affected local governments, are entitled to an opportunity to
participate, to the extent consistent with the national interest, in the
policy and planning decisions made by the Federal Government relating
to exploration for, and development and production of, minerals of the
outer Continental Shelf.That is being taken away from the people. Now, it is mandatory as if there was some kind of national emergency this has to be done. Where there is damage to States under the existing law, there has to be monies provided to mitigate the damages. Where do we know for a fact the largest monies distribution took place?
Welcome to the Claims Administration Website for the Deepwater Horizon Economic & Property Damages Settlement (click here)
Now, the states are going to get a cut of the action from the leases. I have wonder at this point will the states now be told in this bill there will be no more economic and property damage settlements from the petroleum industry so they should use their new assets wisely.
There is a phase in period for this corrupted bill. Americans might want to ask themselves if they feel economically safer under Republican priorities for their land?
‘‘(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 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, 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 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, by substituting ‘25 percent’ for ‘37.5percent’.
No restriction on payments to states: ‘
‘(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.
This is subparagraph (B).
‘‘(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.’’.
Here is the beautiful part, on December 20, 2006 under George Walker Bush, the Republican Congress passed a bill that padded the treasuries of the Gulf of Mexico states full of cash. In November of 2006 the House won a Democratic majority that did not take their seats until January. Hello?
SEC. 105. DISPOSITION OF QUALIFIED OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF REVENUES FROM 181 AREA, 181 SOUTH AREA, AND 2002–2007 PLANNING AREAS OF GULF OF MEXICO. (click here)
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 9 of the Outer Continental
Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1338) and subject to the other
provisions of this section, for each applicable fiscal year, the Secretary
of the Treasury shall deposit—
(1) 50 percent of qualified outer Continental Shelf revenues in the general fund of the Treasury; and
(2) 50 percent of qualified outer Continental Shelf revenues in a special account in the Treasury from which the Secretary shall disburse—
(A) 75 percent to Gulf producing States in accordance with subsection (b); and
(B) 25 percent to provide financial assistance to States in accordance with section 6 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–8), which shall be considered income to the Land and Water Conservation Fund for purposes of section 2 of that Act (16 U.S.C.
460l–5).
This bill did tell the states they would have to put 25% into land and water conservation. But, realize now, Louisiana has more problems than any other Gulf state with spills and explosions and deaths from the petroleum industry and their people are among the most impoverished in the nation, along with Alabama, Texas and Mississippi. Yet they get all this money distributed from the federal government.
Not only does Louisiana get these monies, they have some of the largest Medicaid payouts from the federal government on record. Why Medicaid? Because the people in Louisiana working for the petroleum industry are independent contractors that have to purchase their own assets to be in business to make a living. Their activities as independent contractors are so expensive they are chronically impoverished.
The bill of 2006 and this House bill provides enormous incentives for drilling by the petroleum industry within the Gulf States. This bill also discriminates between new leases while exempting the Gulf States from any changes in their federal distributions.
Now, when was it that student debt exploded? 2006, wasn't it? How is the National Debt doing since 2006?
In 2006 the USA with two wars had a national debt of $8.5 Trillion. It has exponentially grown since then.Bush/Cheney stole the USA Presidency in 2000 with a national debt of $5.6 Trillion, two wars later, subsidies to the petroleum industry and subsidies to petroleum Gulf States (he couldn't just do it for Texas, ya know), he doubled the national debt in eight years. Now, could we actually afford those monies to be sent as welfare checks to the Gulf States? No, but, it happened anyway.
This House bill does not correct the course of the wayward legislation of 2006 by stepping down the subsides to pay off the USA national debt, it continues the deterioration of asset payments to the USA Treasury. Why are food stamps being cut? Oh, yeah, the National Debt.
Title IV - Reorganization of Minerals Management Agencies of the Department of the Interior (click here)
Why not? It is only a few more people to undermine NEPA regs. Sure, no problem.
SEC. 402. Bureau of Ocean Energy.
(3) LIMITATION.—The
Secretary shall not carry out through the Bureau any function, power, or duty
that is—
There is to be a new Bureau of Ocean Energy. This is definitely expanding the federal government, but, it gets better. There is going to be a new Director of Ocean Energy. Perhaps Howard Hamm? Appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Not the President, but, the Secretary of the Interior.
This is the best part and a real step in the direction of small government. First this bill creates new positions in the Interior Department only to turn around and outsource the NEPA regulation assessments.
This is the best part and a real step in the direction of small government. First this bill creates new positions in the Interior Department only to turn around and outsource the NEPA regulation assessments.
(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.
No third party anywhere else, but, in environmental analysis. That should lead to assessments at least as conclusive as the one from Canada of the pipeline they want for the Canadian oil crud.
The dismantling of protections for USA Coastal communities, their resources, economies and wildlife areas continues by adding two additional agencies and limiting the ability of COOPERATIVE efforts.
When I read through this section there is only ONE message, "No More Moratoriums" and it is titled as a safety service. This is corruption beyond corruption of our federal government.
No third party anywhere else, but, in environmental analysis. That should lead to assessments at least as conclusive as the one from Canada of the pipeline they want for the Canadian oil crud.
The dismantling of protections for USA Coastal communities, their resources, economies and wildlife areas continues by adding two additional agencies and limiting the ability of COOPERATIVE efforts.
(3) LIMITATION.—The
Secretary shall not carry out through the Bureau any function, power, or duty
that is—
(A) required by
section 403 to be carried out through the Ocean Energy Safety Service;
or
(B) required by
section 404 to be carried out through the Office of Natural Resources
Revenue.
When I read through this section there is only ONE message, "No More Moratoriums" and it is titled as a safety service. This is corruption beyond corruption of our federal government.
(A) required by
section 403 to be carried out through the Ocean Energy Safety Service;
or
(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—
(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));
When user friendly employees are put in place like "You did a great job, Brownie" in these positions, they become meaningless and this is exactly what is intended.
(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;
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;
(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.
(B) required by
section 404 to be carried out through the Office of Natural Resources
Revenue.
This new department is even going to provide a Training Academy to enforce their own corrupt standards. Amazing. That's smaller government for you all right.
(10) TRAINING ACADEMY.—
This new department is even going to provide a Training Academy to enforce their own corrupt standards. Amazing. That's smaller government for you all right.
(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.
See, this bill creates roadblocks. The consolidated activities that currently exists is being divided up to control the outcomes. These separate agencies won't be talking to each other anymore under the same department. They'll be controlled rather than appreciated. There will be more "stops" than "goes" to any of their activities.
(i) to enable persons to qualify for positions in the administration of this Act; and
This is the only real reason the academy exists. It is to control the outcomes. The people trained within the teachings of the academy will then run the departments. No expertise needed, the federal government will tell their employees what is important and what is not.
(ii) to provide for the continuing education of inspectors or other appropriate Department of the Interior personnel.
Continued quality improvement to be sure if any employee actually becomes smart enough to think, they can't anyway.
SEC. 404. Office of Natural Resources Revenue
There is a director created to this agency. This section of the bill re-establishes the old Minerals and Mining Administration
(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.
Auditing and compliance is a joke. Minerals and Mining Management were too busy carrying out parties lined with sex and drugs to actually provide service to the nation. There will be no such thing as royalty and revenue regulation, asset management. This agency was dissolved for a reason and now the Republicans want to bring it back. This is the Republican answer to governance. The Republican idea of governance is exploitation of the assets of the USA. This entire bill is nothing but corruption and plenty of it.
It is completely understandable why there was so much uproar in the House today. I am completely disgusted with the House Republicans. They are not trustworthy. If the Senate actually entertains this bill then we will all know how much corrupt power the petroleum industry wheels over Congress.
Section 405 wants to replace good governance and expertise in government with drug testing. The Secretary of the Interior now has to oversee drug test reports instead of doing his job. Why not just hire a Fifth Grader to read the report and report to the police the reports for further prosecution?
I don't think so. The Secretary of the Interior has many more important things to do than oversee drug reports.
Okay, now I am really confused here. Section 404 re-established the old Minerals and Mining Management and not Section 406 abolishes the Mineral Management Services.
Will someone please find a way to elect people that understand how to write legislation. This is craziness.
SEC. 406 a) Abolishment.—The Minerals Management Service is abolished.
This entire bill is pieced together in an incoherent rambling. Section 407 is about pay. They even call in references to the Secretary of the Treasury. There is no one in the House embarrassed by the content of the bills they pass?
SEC. 407 wants to set up a Continental Shelf Safety Advisory Board. Right.
This is the last section of the bill and it is completely unconstitutional. It seeks to treat US territories as states. It even removes the difference in the definition of state and territory. A territory is not a state and a state is not a territory. If acts of Congress are going to treat each as the other then what is the difference and why aren't territories given their voting rights and statehood?
end
(i) to enable persons to qualify for positions in the administration of this Act; and
This is the only real reason the academy exists. It is to control the outcomes. The people trained within the teachings of the academy will then run the departments. No expertise needed, the federal government will tell their employees what is important and what is not.
(ii) to provide for the continuing education of inspectors or other appropriate Department of the Interior personnel.
Continued quality improvement to be sure if any employee actually becomes smart enough to think, they can't anyway.
SEC. 404. Office of Natural Resources Revenue
There is a director created to this agency. This section of the bill re-establishes the old Minerals and Mining Administration
(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.
Auditing and compliance is a joke. Minerals and Mining Management were too busy carrying out parties lined with sex and drugs to actually provide service to the nation. There will be no such thing as royalty and revenue regulation, asset management. This agency was dissolved for a reason and now the Republicans want to bring it back. This is the Republican answer to governance. The Republican idea of governance is exploitation of the assets of the USA. This entire bill is nothing but corruption and plenty of it.
It is completely understandable why there was so much uproar in the House today. I am completely disgusted with the House Republicans. They are not trustworthy. If the Senate actually entertains this bill then we will all know how much corrupt power the petroleum industry wheels over Congress.
Section 405 wants to replace good governance and expertise in government with drug testing. The Secretary of the Interior now has to oversee drug test reports instead of doing his job. Why not just hire a Fifth Grader to read the report and report to the police the reports for further prosecution?
I don't think so. The Secretary of the Interior has many more important things to do than oversee drug reports.
Okay, now I am really confused here. Section 404 re-established the old Minerals and Mining Management and not Section 406 abolishes the Mineral Management Services.
Will someone please find a way to elect people that understand how to write legislation. This is craziness.
SEC. 406 a) Abolishment.—The Minerals Management Service is abolished.
This entire bill is pieced together in an incoherent rambling. Section 407 is about pay. They even call in references to the Secretary of the Treasury. There is no one in the House embarrassed by the content of the bills they pass?
SEC. 407 wants to set up a Continental Shelf Safety Advisory Board. Right.
(b) Membership
(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
Nothing about environment, oceans, coastal problems affiliated with this activity, just 11 oil personnel sitting around talking up the idea of safety. Sure, why not? I am sure the Secretary has nothing else to do with his time except appoint more people and oversee yet another committee.
See, the problem here is the deaths of oil company personnel. It makes the Congress look bad.
This is a complete and absolute joke.
(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—
Section 409 of the bill is going to dress the bill up with money now. The petroleum industry is going to have to pay a fee for their inspections. The inspections are not going to mean anything so the idea there are fees for annual inspections is ridiculous. The inspectors are being trained by the petroleum industry as this bill provides only to turn around and inspect all the offshore facilities to the standards they were taught. Why bother? Why collect fees at all considering there is nothing benefiting the people of the country. This is all whitewash for the industry. It some of the most hideous stuff I have ever read.
“(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.
The Secretary of the Interior now needs a departmental billing office. How wonderful is that? They can pay a few eight graders to help out the fifth grader in the office now. One can count the number of inspections, find the fee according to code, do the math and give it to the next eight grader to type the bill properly and send it out.
US Postal service I assume.
Oh, woe is me. The new billing department is short lived. The House figured out 'why bother' and the billing department is dissolved after 2022.
“(8) SUNSET.—No fee may be collected under this subsection for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2022.
This is a complete and absolute joke.
(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—
Section 409 of the bill is going to dress the bill up with money now. The petroleum industry is going to have to pay a fee for their inspections. The inspections are not going to mean anything so the idea there are fees for annual inspections is ridiculous. The inspectors are being trained by the petroleum industry as this bill provides only to turn around and inspect all the offshore facilities to the standards they were taught. Why bother? Why collect fees at all considering there is nothing benefiting the people of the country. This is all whitewash for the industry. It some of the most hideous stuff I have ever read.
“(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.
The Secretary of the Interior now needs a departmental billing office. How wonderful is that? They can pay a few eight graders to help out the fifth grader in the office now. One can count the number of inspections, find the fee according to code, do the math and give it to the next eight grader to type the bill properly and send it out.
US Postal service I assume.
Oh, woe is me. The new billing department is short lived. The House figured out 'why bother' and the billing department is dissolved after 2022.
“(8) SUNSET.—No fee may be collected under this subsection for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2022.
This is the last section of the bill and it is completely unconstitutional. It seeks to treat US territories as states. It even removes the difference in the definition of state and territory. A territory is not a state and a state is not a territory. If acts of Congress are going to treat each as the other then what is the difference and why aren't territories given their voting rights and statehood?
SEC. 501. 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
“(r) The term
‘State’ includes each territory of the United
States.”.
The US House really needs to consider there is another legislative body that will read this and an Executive Branch that won't tolerate this level of corruption and sloppiness. The Speaker needs to do some serious remediation with his caucus about legislative procedures including the established practices of seeking public opinion with proper respect for the citizens.
This is suppose to be a democracy. Territories are not at our disposal, there are human beings living there facing their own fears about the Climate Crisis and sea level rise. They now have to face the imposition of drilling? I don't think so.
The US House really needs to consider there is another legislative body that will read this and an Executive Branch that won't tolerate this level of corruption and sloppiness. The Speaker needs to do some serious remediation with his caucus about legislative procedures including the established practices of seeking public opinion with proper respect for the citizens.
This is suppose to be a democracy. Territories are not at our disposal, there are human beings living there facing their own fears about the Climate Crisis and sea level rise. They now have to face the imposition of drilling? I don't think so.
end
