PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 3, 2009
Maximize Offshore Resource Exploration Act of 2008 or the MORE Act of 2008 - Declares without force or effect all federal prohibitions against the expenditure of appropriated funds to conduct natural gas leasing and preleasing activities for any area of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
Revokes all withdrawals of federal submerged lands from leasing for oil and natural gas exploration and production.
Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from granting an oil or natural gas lease for any OCS located within 25 miles of a state coastline unless the state has enacted a law approving the issuance of such leases by the Sectretary.
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Sets forth an allocation schedule for a 75% state share of revenues derived from U.S. royalties under qualified oil and gas leases on submerged lands located within the seaward boundaries of a state.
Extends the jurisdiction of state civil and criminal law, as appropriate, to the Alaska, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic OCS Region State Adjacent Zones and OCS Planning Areas.
Establishes a separate account in the Treasury to be known as the Renewable Energy Reserve, consisting of 12.5% of revenues derived from U.S. royalties under such oil and gas leases.
Makes the Reserve available to offset the cost of subsequently enacted legislation to: (1) accelerate the use of cleaner domestic energy resources and alternative fuels; (2) promote the utilization of energy-efficient products and practices; and (3) increase research, development, and deployment of clean renewable energy and efficiency technologies and job training programs for those purposes.
People & committees
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-44] · R–CA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to House Rules
Referred to House Budget
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Natural Resources
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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