PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 436.
Congressional Research Service
Version 17 · Reported to House with amendment(s) · Jul 17, 2012
(Sec. 1) Establishes in the Department of the Interior: (1) an Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and Minerals; (2) an Assistant Secretary of Ocean Energy and Safety; (3) an Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management; (4) a Bureau of Ocean Energy (Bureau), with a comprehensive program of offshore mineral and renewable energy resources management; (5) an Ocean Energy Safety Service, administering safety and environmental enforcement activities related to offshore mineral and renewable energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); and (6) an Office of Natural Resources Revenue (Office), with all functions, powers, and duties previously assigned to the Minerals Management Service regarding offshore royalty and revenue management.
Prohibits Ocean Energy Safety Service personnel conducting permitting or inspections from either participating in a strike or asserting the right to strike.
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) establish and maintain a National Offshore Energy Health and Safety Academy as an agency of the Ocean Energy Safety Service to train newly hired and experienced offshore oil and gas inspectors in all aspects of health, safety, environmental, and operational inspections; and (2) develop and maintain adequate programs to provide for the continuing education of certain Department of the Interior personnel.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
(Sec. 5) Requires the Secretary to: (1) certify annually that all Department personnel having regular, direct official contact with government contractors, or conducting investigations, issuing permits, or overseeing energy programs, comply fully with federal employee ethics laws and regulations; (2) conduct a random drug testing program of such personnel, and (3) issue supplementary ethics and drug testing guidance for employees for which certification is required.
(Sec. 6) Abolishes the Minerals Management Service.
(Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to establish an Outer Continental Shelf Energy Safety Advisory Board to: (1) give independent scientific and technical advice on safe, responsible, and timely mineral and renewable energy exploration, development, and production activities; (2) review operations of the National Offshore Energy Health and Safety Academy; and (3) assess every five years, for the Secretary and certain congressional committees, offshore oil and gas well control technologies, practices, voluntary standards, and regulations.
(Sec. 9) Requires the Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and Minerals, in administering the programs and authorities under this Act, to implement a hiring preference for eligible veterans and disabled veterans.
People & committees
Rep. Hastings, Doc [R-WA-4] · R–WA
Legislative record
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Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 436.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-601.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-601.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 14.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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