H.R. 4135: Western Hemisphere Energy Security Act of 2012

112th Congress · introduced 2012-03-05 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-03-05 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ-6] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Western Hemisphere Energy Security Act of 2012

Plain summary

Western Hemisphere Energy Security Act of 2012 - Permits U.S. persons (including agents and affiliates) to: (1) engage in any transaction necessary for either exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon resources or for oil spill prevention and clean-up activities from any portion of a foreign exclusive economic zone contiguous to the U.S. exclusive economic zone; (2) export without license authority all equipment necessary for such exploration, extraction, or oil spill prevention and clean-up activities; and (3) import into the United States the hydrocarbon resources and products that are extracted under this Act. Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize under a general license certain travel-related transactions for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection with either exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon resources or oil spill prevention and clean-up activities in any such part of a foreign maritime exclusive economic zone contiguous to the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Includes among persons authorized to travel to Cuba under this Act full-time employees, executives, agents, and consultants of oil and gas producers, distributors, shippers, and persons who engage in oil spill prevention and clean-up activities.

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

Western Hemisphere Energy Security Act of 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ-6] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

James P. McGovern (D-MA)

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 (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr4135.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr4135 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112