S. 4642: Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-09-22 · Energy · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-09-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. 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

Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act

Plain summary

Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act This bill establishes incentives and requirements to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells, including by (1) establishing a program to remediate, reclaim, and close such wells located on federal land, state land, or land under the jurisdiction of Indian tribes; and (2) revising bonding requirements for oil and gas development on public land leased from the federal government. Such bonds are required to ensure developers have adequate financial resources to remediate and reclaim public land, water, or other resources after wells are abandoned or oil and gas development ceases.

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

Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] reported raising $226,248 (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 (3)

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).
Bond: A way to borrow money. A government sells bonds to raise money now and promises to pay it back with interest over time. Bonds repaid from taxes often need voter approval.
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s4642.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4642 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116