Votes

The bill would require use of oil from the reserve to be matched by the expansion of domestic oil leasing

The House voted on Thursday to let Gulf states, over a 32-year period, keep billions of dollars more in the revenue they help generate through offshore oil production.

Members voted 244-173 in favor of an amendment from Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.) to the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, H.R. 4480. Landry's amendment would amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) to boost the cap on oil revenue-sharing with four Gulf states to $750 million per year, up from the current $500 million per year cap.

The House adjourned shortly before 9:30 p.m., after debating 17 of 27 amendments to H.R. 4480, the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act.

Members will return at 9 a.m. to debate the last 10, hold votes on those that need votes, and then approve the bill. The legislation would require the administration to develop more domestic oil resources if it draws down on the Strategic Petroleum reserve, calls for more overall development, and asks for a study linking environmental regulations to higher gas prices.

The House easily approved legislation on Wednesday that would reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration's user-fee program for brand-name drugs and medical devices, and expand that program to cover biosimilars and generic drugs.

After a brief debate in which both parties praised their rare and cordial bipartisan effort, members approved S. 3187, the FDA Safety and Innovation Act, in a voice vote.

The House voted Tuesday to ease more than a dozen environmental rules for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, to make it easier for them to patrol federally owned border land.

The provision was one of several in a land use bill that was made up of 14 different bills, some from Republicans, some from Democrats. The border agent provision was easily the most controversial, but despite Democratic opposition, the House approved the Conservation and Economic Growth Act, H.R. 2578, in a 232-188 vote.

The House rejected a handful of Democratic amendments to a land use bill, just before members were set to approve the bill in an early evening vote.

The Conservation and Economic Growth Act, H.R. 2578, combines 14 different bills, and the amendments proposed dealt with different aspects of the bill.

The House on Tuesday afternoon approved a rule governing debate and votes on a land use bill that the House now appears ready to approve later Tuesday.

Members voted 240-175 in favor of the rule for H.R. 2578, the Conservation and Economic Growth Act.

The House on Monday evening approved a resolution expressing regret for the policies passed in the late 1800s that discriminated against Chinese immigrants, as well as several bills related to federal land use.

The following bills were approved by voice vote after very brief debate:

The House on Friday rejected a Republican proposal to instruct House negotiators on the highway bill to insist that the bill spend only the money collected through the gas tax on highway spending.

The motion to instruct conferees, from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.), was defeated 82-323, as Republicans opposed it by a margin of 82-145.

The House approved a legislative branch spending bill for 2013 that spends about $33 million less than 2012, and spends about $3.3 billion overall.

Members easily approved the bill in a 307-102 vote after brief debate and consideration of just seven amendments. The bill, H.R. 5882, is the fourth spending bill the House has approved, leaving eight more bills for fiscal 2013.