The phenomenal Josh Fox and "Gasland 2." Yes!

Fracking movie "Gasland II" airs on HBO July 8, amid oil and gas industry attacks (click here).

My environmental group sponsored Fox's first movie at a festival. I met Josh and a couple of his friends at an outdoor venue. He is a very interesting and devoted man. I admire him. He is always well received no matter the film festival; everyone looks for him and his work.

I am looking forward to "Gasland II" on HBO. Fantastic.

100 percent border security of the USA is not possible.

Executive Associate Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, Thomas Homan (click here)

This is the only man anyone needs to talk to about our southern border. He is dedicated and maximizes the  ability of border mitigation with the budget available to him.

Mr. Homan spoke at the House Oversight on Border Security (click here)

He stated he has the fiscal capacity to handle 400,000 border crossings per year and his department lives up to it every year. 

There are others on the panel that spoke and answered questions, but, the panel didn't really start to open up to their expertise until Representative Kerry Bentiviolio began his inquiry to the panel. Rep. Bentiviolio is a Michigan Republican, but, he knows his stuff. The only part of this hearing begins at 2:35:43. Everyone else on the panel was worried about numbers that don't exist and how their constituents are going to feel and vote if the southern border isn't secure. 

The actual numbers Mr. Homan talks about is interesting. There is just so much that can be done on a budget, but, he does it well. There is no doubt the southern border is a fluid place. But, before I comment on that there are the numbers which are more than interesting.

Mr. Homan's department PROCESSED 475,000 persons last year. Of those processed 410,000 were RETURNED to their homelands. Of the 410,000 returned to their homelands, 225,000 were CONVICTED CRIMINALS. Of the 185,000 returned that were not convicted criminals 96% were FREQUENT FLYERS (my term, not his). In other words, of the non-convicted crossers 96% had crossed and been caught before. Now, get this when a crosser is caught for the second time they can be charged with a felony and they become convicted criminals.

So, it is safe to say the ACTUAL crossers that haven't been here is about  7400 people per year. Our laws create the criminals in many instances. Not to understate the danger, there is incredible danger and that bring this issue to the real assault against the USA from it's southern border.

The dangerous part of the southern border is drug cartels. The Border Patrol has no strategy for drug cartels. The problem can be best understood by the plight of the district represented by Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (click here). Her district suffers from the highest drug addiction rate in the USA while receiving the least coverage by the border policies. The reason she states this is the case is because her physical border with Mexico is the shortest and it is not actively pursued as a threat.

I am saying the US Border Patrol isn't doing their jobs. The success of Mr. Homan is due to the good work of the Border Patrol. The real problem with being a Border Patrol Officer is staying alive. They are targets of the drug cartels. The drug cartels are definitely the issue when it comes to dangers of the borders, not the sincerely poor that seek a better promise in life by coming to work in the USA. Those folks are here and add their own problems within the USA, with labor and health needs and public health concerns. 

But, the real dangers lie with the cartels. Currently, the cartels are using gliders to fly over the border to drop their cargo and then fly back to the Mexican side of the border. They never touch USA soil. The Border Patrol have videos of these gliders (and they are manned) carrying out their deliveries, but, have no methodology to interrupt them. The roll of the Border Patrol in regard to the gliders is currently just surveillance. Isn't this the measure passed when Rep. Gabby Giffords was nearly killed. This measure was the substitute for gun reform. Right? Well, it doesn't do much.

Congresswoman Robin Lynne Kelly had many good questions about the process the Border Patrol uses to assess the border. The assessment of the border is important. It is that assessment that directs the Border Patrol to ACTIVE areas where there seems to be a blitz of people crossing. Currently, they are most interested in Arizona's west desert. That is where activity has picked up as of this hearing. 

This is the really interesting part though. It is the one place on the border where the Border Patrol feels most in control and feels most confident. The southwest border where California has their three fences with ground sensors. The Border Patrols stand in towers to do their surveillance. It is the southwest border where they are most effective and are reasonably safe in their jobs.

Now, there is a completely separate issue that annoys Congressman Chaffetz. That is the legal border crossings. There are something like 4 plus million B1 and B2 Visas (click here) that have been issued by the USA. These folks are suppose to be temporarily permitted into the USA. They are non-resident visas. There is a restriction on their ability to travel into the country. It was 10 miles, now it is 25 miles and in New Mexico it is 55 miles from the USA border. These visas are used frequently by people that travel from a Mexican border city to the USA for work and then returns after work.

Rep. Chaffetz is upset because there is no number count of people leaving the USA on any particular day. Evidently, the Border Patrol has concentrated on whom is coming into the country and has a tighter presence on the north bound lane than the south bound lane. There are statistics for the north bound lane but none for the south bound lane. That is a problem for Mr. Chaffetz because he wants to know that everyone coming north is then going south. 

Rep. Chaffetz's expectation of limiting the TIME of these visas in the country is unrealistic. There is temporal limit to these visas, there are only distance. So, if someone has a visa and works in the USA and has car problems they might not be returning to their home in Mexico and have to stay with friends or whatever until their transportation issue is solved. That person will still be legally in the USA so long as they are the limited number of miles from the border. 

'The idea' there should be equal counts coming and going from the country on any one day is unrealistic. Not only that but the travel over the border crossing may happen everyday or once a week. The only focus of the Border Patrol should be limiting the number of people crossing to those that have legal visas to do so.

It is safe to say the USA Border Patrol and ICE is doing everything they can do to protect our southern border. The drug cartels are at war in Mexico with the government, we have that war visiting our country. The violence along the border proves that. Quite frankly, short of militarizing the southern border there is no way of absolutely keeping up with the insult.

The monies aren't there and the personnel aren't there. The one area of the border where the Border Patrol believes they are most effective and safe is a huge effort to place fence, three rows to be exact, and ground sensors along with mini-drones. That is a lot of money and a huge deployment of personnel. 

Today, that effort is not possible and the expectations of this country to obtain that level of obstruction to crossing is not planned. The TRUE problem that is still not solved on the southwest border where the Border Patrol believes they are most effective is the fact it is the ONE place there are more TUNNELS than anywhere else along the border.

So, there you have it. The idea this country can secure an airtight border by 100% as some of the committee members expect is not possible. We have wonderful people working to keep this country safe. The Border Patrol and ICE are not the problem, they are conducting the work asked of them without putting themselves into a war zone with Mexican Drug Cartels that will kill them. We should not be asking them to wage a war that has not been declared. That is an outrageous idea and unrealistic goal for our country.

The US House will fail to pass immigration reform if this level of extremism is expected. 100% prevention is not possible even under the best of circumstances for OUR Border Patrol officers.

The Florida Zimmerman Trial. No comment.

This bill provides huge incentives for cronies to drop lots of money in the pockets of corrupt politicians. LOTS.

Another name for the bill is "The US House's Oil Barrons Ball." There are addictions and then there is this addiction for political ambitions.

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 

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— 
 

(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.

 (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.

(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—

(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;

(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.—

(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. 

(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

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 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

(4) by adding at the end the following:

“(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. 

 end

The bill throws NEPA out the window and institutes 'regional' assessments to override environmental laws of states and otherwise.

SEC. 204. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT REQUIREMENT. 

18(a) IN GENERAL

—For the purposes of this Act, 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 title. 

In one of the associated bill written originally just for Virginia, the monies from the leases have to be divided into 50% blocks of which the states receives 50%. So, the state is on the take for this huge insult to the environment of the region.

A NEPA regulation is to have any alternative energy resources known before sales of leases. The reason for that is to do with interference with other industries seeking potential. 

ACTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED—

Not withstanding section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332), in such statement—

3(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—

8(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. 

This is liberty at work, huh? I don't think so.

 ‘‘(c) DISPOSITION OF REVENUE UNDER OLD LEASES
—All rentals,’’; and (B) in subsection (c) (as designated by the amendment made by sub paragraph (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 Offshore Energy and Jobs Act’’;(2) by adding after subsection (c) (as so designated) the following:

This Republican bill begins addressing distribution of revenues by FIRST reaching back to 1950 to define revenues. I have not read the entire bill yet, but, it is a good guess monies are going to be distributed from the USA Treasury, increasing the National Debt of past revenues to the federal government. 

This is called corruption. There is no other definition, this is blatant in your face corruption.

‘(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 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 

Oh, it gets better, the Gulf States are exempt. The Red States.

‘‘(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 

I have to drag out the old bill, but, it looks like the State's cut in revenues may be reduced from 50% to 37.5% with other modifications except for the Gulf of Mexico states. That is corruption through and through. The word 'new' applies, but, that doesn't mean the entire bill focuses on only new leases. This is another Republican bill going nowhere. 

There just is no reason for this. Why pump American oil and gas out of the ground for export? Our nation's resources are limited, we have already passed Peak Oil and this is simply poor planning for the future of this country.

If this bill ever passes into law, there are enormous reasons for courts to defeat it.

Political play at the cost of sound policy vs political pandering. It is a shame really.

Boner is no longer the Speaker, by the way. He is the 'de-facto' speaker and that is the way the extremists want it. The extremists in the House have made it completely impossible to govern in the House. 

If John ever took up the gavel he might use his authority to temper the tone of the House, that isn't political productive to the extremists. The tone of the House is political and extreme.

The most productive work of the House at this time was to bring about their own bill for Immigration Reform so their bill and the Senate bill could go into conference immediately. But, no that won't happen, the petroleum industry comes first. 

Republicans are stupid legislators. They do it for the funding, they don't care about the people.

This is the flag Republicans plant.

This is Congressional over reach, hubris for political pandering, a waste of time and money to the use of the government as a sincere asset to the people. Republicans pretend to protect the USA Constitution as if no one else does, they don't even understand it.

H.R. 2231, OFF SHORE ENERGY AND JOBS ACT (click here) 

The bill requires mandatory drilling and over rides States Rights and the right of property to control their land values. They are even REQUIRING offshore
drilling in Santa Barbara.Here we go again with "Pandering for Petroleum
Donations."President Obama is threatening a veto. The bill is unconstitutional. Drilling leases are offerings. This bill turns them into impositions on the rightsof citizens to enjoy their land and water. 

Bill Summary & Status (click here) 
113th Congress (2013 - 2014)
H.R.2231 
It never fails to amaze me  that the federal authority simply acts unilaterally
to open drilling leases as if a gift to the states, when in fact it is a
nightmare.

The only real States Rights recognized on a regular basis if that of Florida
which has beaches throughout the state. Florida is well known to want their
pristine beaches for tourism and nothing more. Can one imagine what would
happen to the Florida economy if there were oil rigs along the entire coast of
the west and east coast? The blight on the view alone would drive tourists
away from their vacations.

Why is it the rest of the states on the east and west coast isn't given the
opportunity to "Opt Out" of any oil and gas leases? California doesn't want it,
yet the federal government continues to INDULGE that Republican fantasy.

We don't disaster happening anymore. We don't want it and yet the
Republicans can't seem to 'get the picture.' Petroleum products are an
outrageous insult to a heating planet. The people don't want it anymore. The
jobs people take with this industry are horrible jobs. They are exposed to
dangerous and deadly chemicals. There is a reason why these jobs pay higher
rates than others, they'll kill a person while destroying their health. It is a horrible industry.

If a State decides the people don't want this burden they should not have impositions place on it. There are alternatives that need to be explored and expanded should the energy demands increase in the USA. There is never a measure of the 'stored energy' the USA already has. The country's energy capacity is never depleted on a daily basis. There needs to replacement of petroleum dependency with that of alternatives and conservation. We don't need to drill these lands. Peak Oil is over.

This bill makes the huge mistake of imposing demands for mandatory insults to the land. That is unconstitutional. I suppose I should be grateful for that fact, but, this level of hubris is expensive and requires resources to fight legal battles and seek interruption of this imposition and stop it. Those resources could be used for other reasons than simply fighting Hubris Legislation for the purpose of elections of Republicans. The Republican Party's wrongful elections are based in fantasy that happens to be expensive to put it back in the bottle from which the Republican Genie has come. This is ridiculous. When does the Old World Hubris end? 
  

Rick Perry needs money for his political campaign.

Difficult circumstances are okay with Rick Perry, desirable even.

Being a teen mother is okay with Rick Perry.

EVENTUALLY, women born into difficult circumstances and are teen mothers CATCH UP with everyone else and even surpass someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

Dear god, these women are suppose to understand they have a savior and it is Rick Perry.

Every life matters. Being a man does he realize how many ovum never see the light of day in a woman's lifetime? Does he? I am curious.

Rick Perry stated, "Democracy was stolen." He takes example from whom exactly, because the last time I checked in at the US Senate there was a man by the name of McConnell stealing democracy everyday."

There stands Rick Perry and he now gets money for his political ambitions. The cost? Women's lives. Does anyone want to elect a man that oppresses women, believes the consequences of teen pregnancy should be poverty, delays a woman's potential while robbing society of her leadership and expertise and allows them to die in back street abortion clinics as Governor of Texas again or still worse, President of the United States of America?

Is there any doubt about that question?