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S. 3556: A bill to improve the administration of the Minerals Management Service.

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S. 3556: A bill to improve the administration of the Minerals Management Service.

110th Congress · introduced 2008-09-24 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9421-9422)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-09-24 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9421-9422) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  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

A bill to improve the administration of the Minerals Management Service.

Plain summary

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish within the Department of the Interior the Minerals Management Service (MMS), to be headed by a Director appointed by the President, by and with the consent of the Senate. (The MMS currently exists, but its Director is appointed by the Secretary.) Requires the Director to ensure that the MMS implements comprehensive financial audits of royalty payments and adjustments. Requires the Director to issue requirements that: (1) MMS employees conducting audits and compliance reviews meet specified auditor qualifications; and (2) MMS-conducted audits reflect the latest revision of the Government Auditing Standards published by the Government Accountability Office. Directs the Inspector General of the Department to audit and report annually to certain congressional committees on MMS activities, including leasing and royalty activities. Requires the Secretary to certify to Congress that all Inspector General recommendations as a result of specified investigations of the royalty-in-kind program have been implemented. Directs the Secretary to certify annually to Congress that the royalty-in-kind program is in full compliance with federal law governing procurement and ethics. Suspends, for a specified period, the authority of the Secretary to implement each royalty-in-kind program if the Secretary fails to meet the annual certification deadline.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

A bill to improve the administration of the Minerals Management Service.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Barrasso (R-WY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] reported raising $1.9 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-s3556 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110