[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2962 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2962
To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to ensure market competition in
onshore oil and gas leasing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 7, 2021
Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself, Mr. Heinrich, and Ms. Rosen) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to ensure market competition in
onshore oil and gas leasing, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Competitive Onshore Mineral Policy
via Eliminating Taxpayer-Enabled Speculation Act'' or the ``COMPETES
Act''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States that the Secretary of the
Interior shall not issue onshore oil and gas leases except through a
competitive bidding process.
SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF NONCOMPETITIVE LEASING UNDER THE MINERAL LEASING
ACT.
(a) Oil and Gas Leasing.--Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30
U.S.C. 226) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) Leasing Authority.--
``(1) In general.--All land subject to disposition under
this Act that is known or believed to contain oil or gas
deposits may be leased by the Secretary.
``(2) Receipt of fair market value.--In conducting leasing
activities under this Act, the Secretary shall ensure the
receipt by the United States of fair market value for--
``(A) any land or resources leased by the United
States; and
``(B) any rights conveyed by the United States.'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)--
(i) in the first sentence, by striking
``paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection''
and inserting ``paragraph (2)''; and
(ii) by striking the last sentence; and
(B) by striking paragraph (3);
(3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Additional Rounds of Competitive Bidding.--Land made
available for leasing under subsection (b)(1) for which no bid is
accepted or received, or the land for which a lease terminates,
expires, is cancelled, or is relinquished, may be made available by the
Secretary of the Interior for a new round of competitive bidding under
that subsection.''; and
(4) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
``(e) Term of Lease.--
``(1) In general.--Any lease issued under this section,
including a lease for tar sand areas, shall be for a primary
term of 10 years.
``(2) Continuation of lease.--A lease described in
paragraph (1) shall continue after the primary term of the
lease for any period during which oil or gas is produced in
paying quantities.
``(3) Additional extensions.--Any lease issued under this
section for land on which, or for which under an approved
cooperative or unit plan of development or operation, actual
drilling operations were commenced prior to the end of the
primary term of the lease and are being diligently prosecuted
at the time the primary term of the lease ends shall be
extended for 2 years and for any period thereafter during which
oil or gas is produced in paying quantities.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 31 of the Mineral Leasing Act
(30 U.S.C. 188) is amended--
(1) in subsection (d)(1), in the first sentence, by
striking ``or section 17(c) of this Act'';
(2) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``either''; and
(ii) by striking ``or the inclusion'' and
all that follows through ``, all''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``and''
after the semicolon;
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B); and
(iii) by striking ``(3)(A) payment'' and
inserting the following:
``(3) payment'';
(3) in subsection (g)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``as a
competitive'' and all that follows through ``of this
Act'' and inserting ``in the same manner as the
original lease issued pursuant to section 17'';
(B) by striking paragraph (2);
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and
(D) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated), by
striking ``applicable to leases issued under subsection
17(c) of this Act (30 U.S.C. 226(c)) except,'' and
inserting ``except'';
(4) in subsection (h), by striking ``subsections (d) and
(f) of this section'' and inserting ``subsection (d)'';
(5) in subsection (i), by striking ``(i)(1) In acting'' and
all that follows through ``of this section'' in paragraph (2)
and inserting the following:
``(i) Royalty Reduction in Reinstated Leases.--In acting on a
petition for reinstatement pursuant to subsection (d)'';
(6) by striking subsection (f); and
(7) by redesignating subsections (g) through (j) as
subsections (f) through (i), respectively.
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