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H.R. 6251: Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act

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H.R. 6251: Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act

110th Congress · introduced 2008-06-12 · Energy · Latest: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 223 - 195 (Roll no. 469). (text: CR H6110)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-06-12 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 469 (2008): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR6251 (2008-06-26), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 223 - 195 (Roll no. 469). (text: CR H6110) (final step reached)
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act

Plain summary

Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from authorizing any new lease for exploration or production of oil or natural gas unless the lessee: (1) certifies for each existing lease that the lessee has diligently developed the lands in order to produce oil or natural gas, or is producing oil or natural gas from such lands; or (2) has relinquished all federal oil and gas leases that are not being diligently developed. Instructs the Secretary to promulgate diligent development regulations that: (1) include benchmarks for oil and gas development to ensure that leaseholders produce oil and gas from each lease within the five-year original term of the lease; and (2) require each leaseholder to submit a diligent development plan showing how the lessee will meet the benchmarks. Establishes a civil penalty for noncompliance with this Act. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Mineral Leasing Act, and the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands Act to set forth lease terms for an initial period of five years, renewable for additional one-year periods, subject to specified conditions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3] · 61 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Edward J. Markey (D-MA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Bill Foster (D-IL), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), André Carson (D-IN), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Joe Courtney (D-CT), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and 1 more.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (1)
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6251 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110