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S. 1280: United States Exploration on Idle Tracts Act

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S. 1280: United States Exploration on Idle Tracts Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-05-11 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-05-11 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. 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

United States Exploration on Idle Tracts Act

Plain summary

United States Exploration on Idle Tracts Act or the USE IT Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to issue regulations to establish a specified graduated annual production incentive fee with respect to federal onshore and offshore lands subject to a lease for production of oil or natural gas under which production is not occurring. Amounts received for the fee shall be reserved for expenditures on inspection, enforcement, and permitting relating to oil and gas.

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

United States Exploration on Idle Tracts Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] reported raising $6.0 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 (2)
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).
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-cong114-s1280 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114