Library / Laws / 113th / hr / H.R. 2674 / Introduced in House
I
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2674
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 11, 2013
Mr. Buchanan
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and
Means, and in addition to the Committees on the
Judiciary,
Natural Resources,
Education and the
Workforce, Transportation
and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce,
Small Business, and
Science, Space, and
Technology, 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
A BILL
To encourage job creation, and for other
purposes.
1.
Short title; table of
contents
(a)
Short
title
This Act may be cited
as the Job Creation Act of
2013.
(b)
Table of
contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—Trade
Sec. 101. Sense of Congress regarding expanding trading
markets.
Sec. 102. Sense of Congress regarding China’s intellectual
property rights violations.
Title II—Tax reform
Sec. 201. Sense of Congress regarding tax reform.
Title III—Balanced budget amendment
Sec. 301. Sense of Congress regarding a balanced budget
amendment.
Title IV—Energy
Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Definitions.
Sec. 403. Leasing program for lands within the Coastal
Plain.
Sec. 404. Lease sales.
Sec. 405. Grant of leases by the Secretary.
Sec. 406. Lease terms and conditions.
Sec. 407. Coastal Plain environmental protection.
Sec. 408. Expedited judicial review.
Sec. 409. Federal and State distribution of
revenues.
Sec. 410. Rights-of-way across the Coastal Plain.
Sec. 411. Conveyance.
Sec. 412. Local government impact aid and community service
assistance.
Sec. 413. ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund.
Title V—Northern Route Approval Act
Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Findings.
Sec. 503. Keystone XL permit approval.
Sec. 504. Judicial review.
Sec. 505. American burying beetle.
Sec. 506. Right-of-way and temporary use permit.
Sec. 507. Permits for activities in navigable
waters.
Sec. 508. Migratory Bird Treaty Act permit.
Sec. 509. Oil spill response plan disclosure.
Title VI—Repeal of employer health insurance mandate
Sec. 601. Repeal of employer health insurance
mandate.
Title VII—Secret Ballot Protection Act
Sec. 701. Short title.
Sec. 702. Findings.
Sec. 703. National Labor Relations Act.
Sec. 704. Regulations.
Title VIII—Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
improvements
Sec. 801. Attorney accountability.
Sec. 802. Applicability of Rule 11 to State cases affecting
interstate commerce.
Sec. 803. Prevention of forum-shopping.
Sec. 804. Rule of construction.
Sec. 805. Three-strikes rule for suspending attorneys who
commit multiple Rule 11 violations.
Sec. 806. Presumption of Rule 11 violation for repeatedly
relitigating same issue.
Sec. 807. Enhanced sanctions for document destruction in
pending Federal court proceedings.
Sec. 808. Ban on concealment of unlawful conduct.
Title IX—Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of
2013
Sec. 901. Short title.
Sec. 902. Clarification and expansion of rules covered by the
Regulatory Flexibility Act.
Sec. 903. Requirements providing for more detailed
analyses.
Sec. 904. Repeal of waiver and delay authority; additional
powers of the Chief Counsel for Advocacy.
Sec. 905. Procedures for gathering comments.
Sec. 906. Periodic review of rules.
Sec. 907. Judicial review of compliance with the requirements
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act available after publication of the final
rule.
Sec. 908. Jurisdiction of court of appeals over rules
implementing the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
Sec. 909. Clerical amendments.
I
Trade
101.
Sense of
Congress regarding expanding trading markets
(a)
Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1) Ninety-five
percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States.
(2) It is imperative
to the United States economy that United States businesses sell their goods and
services outside the United States.
(b)
Sense of
Congress
It is the sense of
Congress that—
(1) Congress should
continue to work with the Administration to expand trading markets; and
(2) the future growth
of the United States economy requires this pro-growth strategy.
102.
Sense of
Congress regarding China’s intellectual property rights violations
(a)
Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1) United States copyright industries suffer
severe losses due to piracy in China.
(2) Counterfeiting
remains pervasive in many retail and wholesale markets in China.
(3) China also
maintains market access barriers, which delay entry into China for legitimate
products and, thus, create commercial opportunities for infringing
products.
(4) According to a
report by the United States International Trade Commission, Chinese piracy and
counterfeiting of United States software and a wide range of other intellectual
property cost American businesses an estimated $48 billion in 2009.
(5) The report also
concluded that 2.1 million jobs could be created in the United States if China
complied with its current international obligations to protect and enforce
intellectual property rights.
(6) The most direct
jobs impact would come in high-tech and other innovative industries.
(b)
Sense of
Congress
It is the sense of Congress that China’s intellectual
property rights violations are a problem for our economy.
II
Tax
reform
201.
Sense of
Congress regarding tax reform
(a)
Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Federal tax code is long, complex,
antiquated, and stifling growth in our economy.
(2) Comprehensive
reform of the Federal tax code is needed to get Americans working again and our
economy back on track.
(3) Independent
economists estimate that, when coupled with reduced Federal spending,
comprehensive tax reform could lead to the creation of 1 million jobs in the
first year alone.
(4) The Internal
Revenue Service reports that the average person spends more than 13 hours to
fill out the tax forms.
(5) A
USA Today editorial lampooned the complexity by noting that the instruction
booklet for Apple’s Ipad is one page, while the instruction booklet for this
year’s IRS 1040 long form is 172 pages.
(6) The Federal tax
system needs to be reformed in order for the United States to once again be
competitive in the international market.
(7) The United States
has the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world.
(8) In 1960, 17
companies headquartered in the United States comprised 17 of the world’s
largest 20 companies—that’s 85 percent. By 2010, just 6 companies headquartered
in the United States—or a mere 30 percent—were ranked among the top 20.
(b)
Sense of
Congress
It is the sense of Congress that reforming the Federal
tax code will benefit American taxpayers and our economy.
III
Balanced budget
amendment
301.
Sense of
Congress regarding a balanced budget amendment
(a)
Findings
The Congress finds that a balanced budget
amendment would put the United States on a path to solvency and help bring
stability to the economy.
(b)
Sense of
Congress
It is the sense of
Congress that Congress needs to pass a balanced budget amendment to the United
States Constitution and send it to the States for ratification.
IV
Energy
401.
Short
title
This title may be cited
as the American Energy Independence
and Price Reduction Act.
402.
Definitions
In this title:
(1)
Coastal
plain
The term Coastal Plain means that area
described in appendix I to part 37 of title 50, Code of Federal
Regulations.
(2)
Secretary
The
term Secretary, except as otherwise provided, means the Secretary
of the Interior or the Secretary’s designee.
403.
Leasing program
for lands within the Coastal Plain
(a)
In
General
The Secretary shall take such actions as are
necessary—
(1) to establish and
implement, in accordance with this title and acting through the Director of the
Bureau of Land Management in consultation with the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service, a competitive oil and gas leasing program
that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration,
development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain;
and
(2) to administer the
provisions of this title through regulations, lease terms, conditions,
restrictions, prohibitions, stipulations, and other provisions that ensure the
oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities on the Coastal
Plain will result in no significant adverse effect on fish and wildlife, their
habitat, subsistence resources, and the environment, including, in furtherance
of this goal, by requiring the application of the best commercially available
technology for oil and gas exploration, development, and production to all
exploration, development, and production operations under this Act in a manner
that ensures the receipt of fair market value by the public for the mineral
resources to be leased.
(b)
Repeal
(1)
Repeal
Section
1003 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C.
3143) is repealed.
(2)
Conforming
amendment
The table of contents in section 1 of such Act is
amended by striking the item relating to section 1003.
(c)
Compliance With
Requirements Under Certain Other Laws
(1)
Compatibility
For
purposes of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), the oil and gas leasing program and activities
authorized by this section in the Coastal Plain are deemed to be compatible
with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was
established, and no further findings or decisions are required to implement
this determination.
(2)
Adequacy of the
department of the interior’s legislative environmental impact
statement
The Final Legislative Environmental Impact
Statement (April 1987) on the Coastal Plain prepared pursuant to
section 1002 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (16
U.S.C. 3142) and section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) is deemed to satisfy the requirements under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 that apply with respect to prelease activities, including
actions authorized to be taken by the Secretary to develop and promulgate the
regulations for the establishment of a leasing program authorized by this title
before the conduct of the first lease sale.
(3)
Compliance with
nepa for other actions
Before conducting the first lease sale
under this title, the Secretary shall prepare an environmental impact statement
under the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 with respect to the actions authorized by this title that are
not referred to in paragraph (2). Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary
is not required to identify nonleasing alternative courses of action or to
analyze the environmental effects of such courses of action. The Secretary
shall only identify a preferred action for such leasing and a single leasing
alternative, and analyze the environmental effects and potential mitigation
measures for those two alternatives. The identification of the preferred action
and related analysis for the first lease sale under this title shall be
completed within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act. The
Secretary shall only consider public comments that specifically address the
Secretary’s preferred action and that are filed within 20 days after
publication of an environmental analysis. Notwithstanding any other law,
compliance with this paragraph is deemed to satisfy all requirements for the
analysis and consideration of the environmental effects of proposed leasing
under this title.
(d)
Relationship to
State and Local Authority
Nothing in this title shall be
considered to expand or limit State and local regulatory authority.
(e)
Special
Areas
(1)
In
general
The Secretary, after consultation with the State of
Alaska, the city of Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough, may designate up to
a total of 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a Special Area if the Secretary
determines that the Special Area is of such unique character and interest so as
to require special management and regulatory protection. The Secretary shall
designate as such a Special Area the Sadlerochit Spring area, comprising
approximately 4,000 acres.
(2)
Management
Each
such Special Area shall be managed so as to protect and preserve the area’s
unique and diverse character including its fish, wildlife, and subsistence
resource values.
(3)
Exclusion from
leasing or surface occupancy
The Secretary may exclude any
Special Area from leasing. If the Secretary leases a Special Area, or any part
thereof, for purposes of oil and gas exploration, development, production, and
related activities, there shall be no surface occupancy of the lands comprising
the Special Area.
(4)
Directional
drilling
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subsection,
the Secretary may lease all or a portion of a Special Area under terms that
permit the use of horizontal drilling technology from sites on leases located
outside the Special Area.
(f)
Limitation on
Closed Areas
The Secretary’s sole authority to close lands within
the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing and to exploration, development, and
production is that set forth in this title.
(g)
Regulations
(1)
In
general
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be
necessary to carry out this title, including rules and regulations relating to
protection of the fish and wildlife, their habitat, subsistence resources, and
environment of the Coastal Plain, by no later than 15 months after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(2)
Revision of
regulations
The Secretary shall periodically review and, if
appropriate, revise the rules and regulations issued under subsection (a) to
reflect any significant biological, environmental, or engineering data that
come to the Secretary’s attention.
404.
Lease
sales
(a)
In
General
Lands may be leased pursuant to this title to any person
qualified to obtain a lease for deposits of oil and gas under the
Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et
seq.).
(b)
Procedures
The
Secretary shall, by regulation, establish procedures for—
(1) receipt and
consideration of sealed nominations for any area in the Coastal Plain for
inclusion in, or exclusion (as provided in subsection (c)) from, a lease
sale;
(2) the holding of
lease sales after such nomination process; and
(3) public notice of
and comment on designation of areas to be included in, or excluded from, a
lease sale.
(c)
Lease Sale
Bids
Bidding for leases under this title shall be by sealed
competitive cash bonus bids.
(d)
Acreage Minimum
in First Sale
In the first lease sale under this title, the
Secretary shall offer for lease those tracts the Secretary considers to have
the greatest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons, taking into
consideration nominations received pursuant to subsection (b)(1), but in no
case less than 200,000 acres.
(e)
Timing of Lease
Sales
The Secretary shall—
(1) conduct the first
lease sale under this title within 22 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act;
(2) evaluate the bids
in such sale and issue leases resulting from such sale, within 90 days after
the date of the completion of such sale; and
(3) conduct additional
sales so long as sufficient interest in development exists to warrant, in the
Secretary’s judgment, the conduct of such sales.
405.
Grant of leases
by the Secretary
(a)
In
General
The Secretary may grant to the highest responsible
qualified bidder in a lease sale conducted pursuant to section 404 any lands to
be leased on the Coastal Plain upon payment by the lessee of such bonus as may
be accepted by the Secretary.
(b)
Subsequent
Transfers
No lease issued under this title may be sold,
exchanged, assigned, sublet, or otherwise transferred except with the approval
of the Secretary. Prior to any such approval the Secretary shall consult with,
and give due consideration to the views of, the Attorney General.
406.
Lease terms and
conditions
(a)
In
General
An oil or gas lease issued pursuant to this title
shall—
(1) provide for the
payment of a royalty of not less than 121/2 percent in
amount or value of the production removed or sold from the lease, as determined
by the Secretary under the regulations applicable to other Federal oil and gas
leases;
(2) provide that the
Secretary may close, on a seasonal basis, portions of the Coastal Plain to
exploratory drilling activities as necessary to protect caribou calving areas
and other species of fish and wildlife;
(3) require that the
lessee of lands within the Coastal Plain shall be fully responsible and liable
for the reclamation of lands within the Coastal Plain and any other Federal
lands that are adversely affected in connection with exploration, development,
production, or transportation activities conducted under the lease and within
the Coastal Plain by the lessee or by any of the subcontractors or agents of
the lessee;
(4) provide that the
lessee may not delegate or convey, by contract or otherwise, the reclamation
responsibility and liability to another person without the express written
approval of the Secretary;
(5) provide that the
standard of reclamation for lands required to be reclaimed under this title
shall be, as nearly as practicable, a condition capable of supporting the uses
which the lands were capable of supporting prior to any exploration,
development, or production activities, or upon application by the lessee, to a
higher or better use as approved by the Secretary;
(6) contain terms and
conditions relating to protection of fish and wildlife, their habitat,
subsistence resources, and the environment as required pursuant to section
403(a)(2);
(7) provide that the
lessee, its agents, and its contractors use best efforts to provide a fair
share, as determined by the level of obligation previously agreed to in the
1974 agreement implementing section 29 of the Federal Agreement and Grant of
Right of Way for the Operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, of employment and
contracting for Alaska Natives and Alaska Native Corporations from throughout
the State;
(8) prohibit the
export of oil produced under the lease; and
(9) contain such other
provisions as the Secretary determines necessary to ensure compliance with the
provisions of this title and the regulations issued under this title.
(b)
Project Labor
Agreements
The Secretary, as a term and condition of each lease
under this title and in recognizing the Government’s proprietary interest in
labor stability and in the ability of construction labor and management to meet
the particular needs and conditions of projects to be developed under the
leases issued pursuant to this title and the special concerns of the parties to
such leases, shall require that the lessee and its agents and contractors
negotiate to obtain a project labor agreement for the employment of laborers
and mechanics on production, maintenance, and construction under the
lease.
407.
Coastal Plain
environmental protection
(a)
No Significant
Adverse Effect Standard To Govern Authorized Coastal Plain
Activities
The Secretary shall, consistent with the requirements
of section 403, administer the provisions of this title through regulations,
lease terms, conditions, restrictions, prohibitions, stipulations, and other
provisions that—
(1) ensure the oil and
gas exploration, development, and production activities on the Coastal Plain
will result in no significant adverse effect on fish and wildlife, their
habitat, and the environment;
(2) require the
application of the best commercially available technology for oil and gas
exploration, development, and production on all new exploration, development,
and production operations; and
(3) ensure that the
maximum amount of surface acreage covered by production and support facilities,
including airstrips and any areas covered by gravel berms or piers for support
of pipelines, does not exceed 2,000 acres on the Coastal Plain.
(b)
Site-Specific
Assessment and Mitigation
The Secretary shall also require, with
respect to any proposed drilling and related activities, that—
(1) a
site-specific analysis be made of the probable effects, if any, that the
drilling or related activities will have on fish and wildlife, their habitat,
subsistence resources, and the environment;
(2) a
plan be implemented to avoid, minimize, and mitigate (in that order and to the
extent practicable) any significant adverse effect identified under paragraph
(1); and
(3) the development of
the plan shall occur after consultation with the agency or agencies having
jurisdiction over matters mitigated by the plan.
(c)
Regulations To
Protect Coastal Plain Fish and Wildlife Resources, Subsistence Users, and the
Environment
Before implementing the leasing program authorized by
this title, the Secretary shall prepare and promulgate regulations, lease
terms, conditions, restrictions, prohibitions, stipulations, and other measures
designed to ensure that the activities undertaken on the Coastal Plain under
this title are conducted in a manner consistent with the purposes and
environmental requirements of this title.
(d)
Compliance With
Federal and State Environmental Laws and Other Requirements
The
proposed regulations, lease terms, conditions, restrictions, prohibitions, and
stipulations for the leasing program under this title shall require compliance
with all applicable provisions of Federal and State environmental law, and
shall also require the following:
(1) Standards at least
as effective as the safety and environmental mitigation measures set forth in
items 1 through 29 at pages 167 through 169 of the Final Legislative
Environmental Impact Statement (April 1987) on the Coastal
Plain.
(2) Seasonal
limitations on exploration, development, and related activities, where
necessary, to avoid significant adverse effects during periods of concentrated
fish and wildlife breeding, denning, nesting, spawning, and migration.
(3) That exploration
activities, except for surface geological studies, be limited to the period
between approximately November 1 and May 1 each year and that exploration
activities shall be supported, if necessary, by ice roads, winter trails with
adequate snow cover, ice pads, ice airstrips, and air transport methods, except
that such exploration activities may occur at other times if the Secretary
finds that such exploration will have no significant adverse effect on the fish
and wildlife, their habitat, and the environment of the Coastal Plain.
(4) Design safety and
construction standards for all pipelines and any access and service roads,
that—
(A) minimize, to the
maximum extent possible, adverse effects upon the passage of migratory species
such as caribou; and
(B) minimize adverse
effects upon the flow of surface water by requiring the use of culverts,
bridges, and other structural devices.
(5) Prohibitions on
general public access and use on all pipeline access and service roads.
(6) Stringent
reclamation and rehabilitation requirements, consistent with the standards set
forth in this title, requiring the removal from the Coastal Plain of all oil
and gas development and production facilities, structures, and equipment upon
completion of oil and gas production operations, except that the Secretary may
exempt from the requirements of this paragraph those facilities, structures, or
equipment that the Secretary determines would assist in the management of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and that are donated to the United States for
that purpose.
(7) Appropriate
prohibitions or restrictions on access by all modes of transportation.
(8) Appropriate
prohibitions or restrictions on sand and gravel extraction.
(9) Consolidation of
facility siting.
(10) Appropriate
prohibitions or restrictions on use of explosives.
(11) Avoidance, to the
extent practicable, of springs, streams, and river system; the protection of
natural surface drainage patterns, wetlands, and riparian habitats; and the
regulation of methods or techniques for developing or transporting adequate
supplies of water for exploratory drilling.
(12) Avoidance or
minimization of air traffic-related disturbance to fish and wildlife.
(13) Treatment and
disposal of hazardous and toxic wastes, solid wastes, reserve pit fluids,
drilling muds and cuttings, and domestic wastewater, including an annual waste
management report, a hazardous materials tracking system, and a prohibition on
chlorinated solvents, in accordance with applicable Federal and State
environmental law.
(14) Fuel storage and
oil spill contingency planning.
(15) Research,
monitoring, and reporting requirements.
(16) Field crew
environmental briefings.
(17) Avoidance of
significant adverse effects upon subsistence hunting, fishing, and trapping by
subsistence users.
(18) Compliance with
applicable air and water quality standards.
(19) Appropriate
seasonal and safety zone designations around well sites, within which
subsistence hunting and trapping shall be limited.
(20) Reasonable
stipulations for protection of cultural and archeological resources.
(21) All other
protective environmental stipulations, restrictions, terms, and conditions
deemed necessary by the Secretary.
(e)
Considerations
In
preparing and promulgating regulations, lease terms, conditions, restrictions,
prohibitions, and stipulations under this section, the Secretary shall consider
the following:
(1) The stipulations
and conditions that govern the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska leasing
program, as set forth in the 1999 Northeast National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Final Integrated Activity Plan/Environmental Impact Statement.
(2) The environmental
protection standards that governed the initial Coastal Plain seismic
exploration program under parts 37.31 to 37.33 of title 50, Code of Federal
Regulations.
(3) The land use
stipulations for exploratory drilling on the KIC–ASRC private lands that are
set forth in appendix 2 of the August 9, 1983, agreement between Arctic Slope
Regional Corporation and the United States.
(f)
Facility
Consolidation Planning
(1)
In
general
The Secretary shall, after providing for public notice
and comment, prepare and update periodically a plan to govern, guide, and
direct the siting and construction of facilities for the exploration,
development, production, and transportation of Coastal Plain oil and gas
resources.
(2)
Objectives
The
plan shall have the following objectives:
(A) Avoiding
unnecessary duplication of facilities and activities.
(B) Encouraging
consolidation of common facilities and activities.
(C) Locating or
confining facilities and activities to areas that will minimize impact on fish
and wildlife, their habitat, and the environment.
(D) Utilizing existing
facilities wherever practicable.
(E) Enhancing
compatibility between wildlife values and development activities.
(g)
Access to Public
Lands
The Secretary shall—
(1) manage public
lands in the Coastal Plain subject to subsections (a) and (b) of section 811 of
the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3121);
and
(2) ensure that local
residents shall have reasonable access to public lands in the Coastal Plain for
traditional uses.
408.
Expedited
judicial review
(a)
Filing of
Complaint
(1)
Deadline
Subject
to paragraph (2), any complaint seeking judicial review of any provision of
this title or any action of the Secretary under this title shall be
filed—
(A) except as provided
in subparagraph (B), within the 90-day period beginning on the date of the
action being challenged; or
(B) in the case of a
complaint based solely on grounds arising after such period, within 90 days
after the complainant knew or reasonably should have known of the grounds for
the complaint.
(2)
Venue
Any
complaint seeking judicial review of any provision of this title or any action
of the Secretary under this title may be filed only in the United States Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
(3)
Limitation on
scope of certain review
Judicial review of a Secretarial decision
to conduct a lease sale under this title, including the environmental analysis
thereof, shall be limited to whether the Secretary has complied with the terms
of this title and shall be based upon the administrative record of that
decision. The Secretary’s identification of a preferred course of action to
enable leasing to proceed and the Secretary’s analysis of environmental effects
under this title shall be presumed to be correct unless shown otherwise by
clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.
(b)
Limitation on
Other Review
Actions of the Secretary with respect to which
review could have been obtained under this section shall not be subject to
judicial review in any civil or criminal proceeding for enforcement.
409.
Federal and
State distribution of revenues
(a)
In
General
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the amount
of adjusted bonus, rental, and royalty revenues from Federal oil and gas
leasing and operations authorized under this title—
(1) 50 percent shall
be paid to the State of Alaska; and
(2) except as provided
in section 412(d), the balance shall be transferred to the ANWR Alternative
Energy Trust Fund established by this title.
(b)
Payments to
Alaska
Payments to the State of Alaska under this section shall
be made semiannually.
410.
Rights-of-way
across the Coastal Plain
(a)
In
General
The Secretary shall issue rights-of-way and easements
across the Coastal Plain for the transportation of oil and gas—
(1) except as provided
in paragraph (2), under section 28 of the Mineral
Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 185), without regard to title XI of the
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (30 U.S.C. 3161 et seq.);
and
(2) under title XI of
the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (30 U.S.C. 3161 et seq.),
for access authorized by sections 1110 and 1111 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 3170 and
3171).
(b)
Terms and
Conditions
The Secretary shall include in any right-of-way or
easement issued under subsection (a) such terms and conditions as may be
necessary to ensure that transportation of oil and gas does not result in a
significant adverse effect on the fish and wildlife, subsistence resources,
their habitat, and the environment of the Coastal Plain, including requirements
that facilities be sited or designed so as to avoid unnecessary duplication of
roads and pipelines.
(c)
Regulations
The
Secretary shall include in regulations under section 403(g) provisions granting
rights-of-way and easements described in subsection (a) of this section.
411.
Conveyance
In order to maximize Federal revenues by
removing clouds on title to lands and clarifying land ownership patterns within
the Coastal Plain, the Secretary, notwithstanding the provisions of section
1302(h)(2) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C.
3192(h)(2)), shall convey—
(1) to the Kaktovik
Inupiat Corporation the surface estate of the lands described in paragraph 1 of
Public Land Order 6959, to the extent necessary to fulfill the Corporation’s
entitlement under sections 12 and 14 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
(43 U.S.C. 1611 and 1613) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Agreement between the Department of the Interior, the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Kaktovik Inupiat
Corporation effective January 22, 1993; and
(2) to the Arctic
Slope Regional Corporation the remaining subsurface estate to which it is
entitled pursuant to the August 9, 1983, agreement between the Arctic Slope
Regional Corporation and the United States of America.
412.
Local
government impact aid and community service assistance
(a)
Financial
Assistance Authorized
(1)
In
general
The Secretary may use amounts available from the Coastal
Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund established by subsection (d)
to provide timely financial assistance to entities that are eligible under
paragraph (2) and that are directly impacted by the exploration for or
production of oil and gas on the Coastal Plain under this title.
(2)
Eligible
entities
The North Slope Borough, the City of Kaktovik, and any
other borough, municipal subdivision, village, or other community in the State
of Alaska that is directly impacted by exploration for, or the production of,
oil or gas on the Coastal Plain under this title, as determined by the
Secretary, shall be eligible for financial assistance under this
section.
(b)
Use of
Assistance
Financial assistance under this section may be used
only for—
(1) planning for
mitigation of the potential effects of oil and gas exploration and development
on environmental, social, cultural, recreational, and subsistence
values;
(2) implementing
mitigation plans and maintaining mitigation projects;
(3) developing,
carrying out, and maintaining projects and programs that provide new or
expanded public facilities and services to address needs and problems
associated with such effects, including fire-fighting, police, water, waste
treatment, medivac, and medical services; and
(4) establishment of a
coordination office, by the North Slope Borough, in the City of Kaktovik, which
shall—
(A) coordinate with
and advise developers on local conditions, impact, and history of the areas
utilized for development; and
(B) provide to the
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an annual report on the status of
coordination between developers and the communities affected by
development.
(c)
Application
(1)
In
general
Any community that is eligible for assistance under this
section may submit an application for such assistance to the Secretary, in such
form and under such procedures as the Secretary may prescribe by
regulation.
(2)
North slope
borough communities
A community located in the North Slope
Borough may apply for assistance under this section either directly to the
Secretary or through the North Slope Borough.
(3)
Application
assistance
The Secretary shall work closely with and assist the
North Slope Borough and other communities eligible for assistance under this
section in developing and submitting applications for assistance under this
section.
(d)
Establishment of
Fund
(1)
In
general
There is established in the Treasury the Coastal Plain
Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund.
(2)
Use
Amounts
in the fund may be used only for providing financial assistance under this
section.
(3)
Deposits
Subject
to paragraph (4), there shall be deposited into the fund amounts received by
the United States as revenues derived from rents, bonuses, and royalties from
Federal leases and lease sales authorized under this title.
(4)
Limitation on
deposits
The total amount in the fund may not exceed
$11,000,000.
(5)
Investment of
balances
The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest amounts in
the fund in interest bearing government securities.
(e)
Authorization of
Appropriations
To provide financial assistance under this section
there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary from the Coastal Plain
Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund $5,000,000 for each fiscal
year.
413.
ANWR
Alternative Energy Trust Fund
(a)
Establishment of
Trust Fund
There is established in the Treasury of the United
States a trust fund to be known as the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust
Fund, consisting of such amounts as may be transferred to the ANWR
Alternative Energy Trust Fund as provided in section 409.
(b)
Expenditures
From ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund
(1)
In
general
Amounts in the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund shall
be available without further appropriation to carry out specified provisions of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–58; in this section referred to
as EPAct2005) and the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (Public Law 110–140; in this section referred to as
EISAct2007), as follows:
To carry out the provisions
of:The following percentage of annual
receipts to the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund, but not to exceed the limit
on amount authorized, if any:
EPAct2005:
Section 2101.5 percent
Section 2421.0 percent
Section 3692.0 percent
Section 4016.0 percent
Section 8126.0 percent
Section 93119.0 percent
Section 9421.5 percent
Section 9623.0 percent
Section 9681.5 percent
Section 17046.0 percent
EISAct2007:
Section 20715.0 percent
Section 6071.5 percent
Title VI, Subtitle B3.0 percent
Title VI, Subtitle C1.5 percent
Section 6419.0 percent
Title VII, Subtitle
A15.0 percent
Section 11121.5 percent
Section 13046.0 percent.
(2)
Apportionment of
excess amount
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), any amounts
allocated under paragraph (1) that are in excess of the amounts authorized in
the applicable cited section or subtitle of EPAct2005 and EISAct2007 shall be
reallocated to the remaining sections and subtitles cited in paragraph (1), up
to the amounts otherwise authorized by law to carry out such sections and
subtitles, in proportion to the amounts authorized by law to be appropriated
for such other sections and subtitles.
V
Northern Route
Approval Act
501.
Short
title
This Act may be cited as
the Northern Route Approval
Act.
502.
Findings
The Congress finds the following:
(1) To maintain our Nation’s competitive edge
and ensure an economy built to last, the United States must have fast,
reliable, resilient, and environmentally sound means of moving energy. In a
global economy, we will compete for the world’s investments based in
significant part on the quality of our infrastructure. Investing in the
Nation’s infrastructure provides immediate and long-term economic benefits for
local communities and the Nation as a whole.
(2) The delivery of
oil from Canada, a close ally not only in proximity but in shared values and
ideals, to domestic markets is in the national interest because of the need to
lessen dependence upon insecure foreign sources.
(3) The Keystone XL pipeline would provide both
short-term and long-term employment opportunities and related labor income
benefits, such as government revenues associated with taxes.
(4) The State of Nebraska has thoroughly
reviewed and approved the proposed Keystone XL pipeline reroute, concluding
that the concerns of Nebraskans have had a major influence on the pipeline
reroute and that the reroute will have minimal environmental impacts.
(5) The Department of
State and other Federal agencies have over a long period of time conducted
extensive studies and analysis of the technical aspects and of the
environmental, social, and economic impacts of the proposed Keystone XL
pipeline, and—
(A) the Department of State assessments found
that the Keystone XL pipeline is not likely to impact the amount of
crude oil produced from the oil sands and that approval or
denial of the proposed project is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the
rate of development in the oil sands;
(B) the Department of
State found that incremental life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated
with the Keystone XL project are estimated in the range of 0.07 to 0.83 million
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, with the upper end of this range
representing twelve one-thousandths of one percent of the 6,702 million metric
tons of carbon dioxide emitted in the United States in 2011; and
(C) after extensive
evaluation of potential impacts to land and water resources along the Keystone
XL pipeline’s 875-mile proposed route, the Department of State found that
The analyses of potential impacts associated with construction and
normal operation of the proposed Project suggest that there would be no
significant impacts to most resources along the proposed Project route
(assuming Keystone complies with all laws and required conditions and
measures)..
(6) The transportation
of oil via pipeline is the safest and most economically and environmentally
effective means of doing so, and—
(A) transportation of oil via pipeline has a
record of unmatched safety and environmental protection, and the Department of
State found that Spills associated with the proposed Project that enter
the environment expected to be rare and relatively small, and that
there is no evidence of increased corrosion or other pipeline threat due
to viscosity of diluted bitumen oil that will be transported by the
Keystone XL pipeline; and
(B) plans to
incorporate 57 project-specific special conditions related to the design,
construction, and operations of the Keystone XL pipeline led the Department of
State to find that the pipeline will have a degree of safety over any
other typically constructed domestic oil pipeline.
(7) The Keystone XL is in much the same
position today as the Alaska Pipeline in 1973 prior to congressional action.
Once again, the Federal regulatory process remains an insurmountable obstacle
to a project that is likely to reduce oil imports from insecure foreign
sources.
503.
Keystone XL
permit approval
Notwithstanding Executive Order No. 13337 (3
U.S.C. 301 note), Executive Order No. 11423 (3 U.S.C. 301 note), section 301 of
title 3, United States Code, and any other Executive order or provision of law,
no Presidential permit shall be required for the pipeline described in the
application filed on May 4, 2012, by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to the
Department of State for the Keystone XL pipeline, as supplemented to include
the Nebraska reroute evaluated in the Final Evaluation Report issued by the
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality in January 2013 and approved by
the Nebraska governor. The final environmental impact statement issued by the
Secretary of State on August 26, 2011, coupled with the Final Evaluation Report
described in the previous sentence, shall be considered to satisfy all
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq.) and of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et
seq.).
504.
Judicial
review
(a)
Exclusive
jurisdiction
Except for
review by the Supreme Court on writ of certiorari, the United States Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit shall have original and exclusive
jurisdiction to determine—
(1) the validity of any final order or action
(including a failure to act) of any Federal agency or officer with respect to
issuance of a permit relating to the construction or maintenance of the
Keystone XL pipeline, including any final order or action deemed to be taken,
made, granted, or issued;
(2) the constitutionality of any provision of
this Act, or any decision or action taken, made, granted, or issued, or deemed
to be taken, made, granted, or issued under this Act; or
(3) the adequacy of any environmental impact
statement prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), or of any analysis under any other Act, with respect to
any action taken, made, granted, or issued, or deemed to be taken, made,
granted, or issued under this Act.
(b)
Deadline for
filing claim
A claim arising
under this Act may be brought not later than 60 days after the date of the
decision or action giving rise to the claim.
(c)
Expedited
consideration
The United
States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit shall set any
action brought under subsection (a) for expedited consideration, taking into
account the national interest of enhancing national energy security by
providing access to the significant oil reserves in Canada that are needed to
meet the demand for oil.
505.
American burying
beetle
(a)
Findings
The Congress finds that—
(1) environmental
reviews performed for the Keystone XL pipeline project satisfy the requirements
of section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) in
its entirety; and
(2) for purposes of that Act, the Keystone XL
pipeline project will not jeopardize the continued existence of the American
burying beetle or destroy or adversely modify American burying beetle critical
habitat.
(b)
Biological
opinion
The Secretary of the
Interior is deemed to have issued a written statement setting forth the
Secretary’s opinion containing such findings under section 7(b)(1)(A) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(b)(1)(A)) and any taking of the
American burying beetle that is incidental to the construction or operation and
maintenance of the Keystone XL pipeline as it may be ultimately defined in its
entirety, shall not be considered a prohibited taking of such species under
such Act.
506.
Right-of-way
and temporary use permit
The
Secretary of the Interior is deemed to have granted or issued a grant of
right-of-way and temporary use permit under section 28 of the Mineral Leasing
Act (30 U.S.C. 185) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), as set forth in the application tendered to the Bureau of
Land Management for the Keystone XL pipeline.
507.
Permits for
activities in navigable waters
(a)
Issuance of
permits
The Secretary of the Army, not later than 90 days after
receipt of an application therefor, shall issue all permits under section 404
of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and section 10 of
the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403; commonly known as the Rivers and
Harbors Appropriations Act of 1899), necessary for the construction, operation,
and maintenance of the pipeline described in the May 4, 2012, application
referred to in section 3, as supplemented by the Nebraska reroute. The
application shall be based on the administrative record for the pipeline as of
the date of enactment of this Act, which shall be considered complete.
(b)
Waiver of
procedural requirements
The Secretary may waive any procedural
requirement of law or regulation that the Secretary considers desirable to
waive in order to accomplish the purposes of this section.
(c)
Issuance in
absence of action by the Secretary
If the Secretary has not
issued a permit described in subsection (a) on or before the last day of the
90-day period referred to in subsection (a), the permit shall be deemed issued
under section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344)
or section 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403), as appropriate, on
the day following such last day.
(d)
Limitation
The
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may not prohibit or
restrict an activity or use of an area that is authorized under this
section.
508.
Migratory Bird
Treaty Act permit
The
Secretary of the Interior is deemed to have issued a special purpose permit
under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), as described in
the application filed with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the
Keystone XL pipeline on January 11, 2013.
509.
Oil spill
response plan disclosure
(a)
In
general
Any pipeline owner or
operator required under Federal law to develop an oil spill response plan for
the Keystone XL pipeline shall make such plan available to the Governor of each
State in which such pipeline operates to assist with emergency response
preparedness.
(b)
Updates
A pipeline owner or operator required to
make available to a Governor a plan under subsection (a) shall make available
to such Governor any update of such plan not later than 7 days after the date
on which such update is made.
VI
Repeal of
employer health insurance mandate
601.
Repeal of
employer health insurance mandate
(a)
In
general
Chapter 43 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking section 4980H.
(b)
Repeal of
related reporting requirements
Subpart D of part III of
subchapter A of chapter 61 of such Code is amended by striking section
6056.
(c)
Conforming
amendments
(1) Subparagraph (B) of section 6724(d)(1) of
such Code is amended by inserting or at the end of clause
(xxiii), by striking and at the end of clause (xxiv) and
inserting or, and by striking clause (xxv).
(2) Paragraph (2) of
section 6724(d) of such Code is amended by inserting or at the
end of subparagraph (FF), by striking , or at the end of
subparagraph (GG) and inserting a period, and by striking subparagraph
(HH).
(3) The table of
sections for chapter 43 of such Code is amended by striking the item relating
to section 4980H.
(4) The table of sections for subpart D of part
III of subchapter A of chapter 61 of such Code is amended by striking the item
relating to section 6056.
(5) Section 1513 of
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is amended by striking
subsection (c).
(d)
Effective
dates
(1)
In
general
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the
amendments made by this section shall apply to months and other periods
beginning after December 31, 2013.
(2)
Repeal of study
and report
The amendment made by subsection (c)(5) shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
VII
Secret Ballot
Protection Act
701.
Short
title
This title may be cited
as the Secret Ballot Protection
Act.
702.
Findings
Congress finds that—
(1) the importance of a secret ballot election
has been recognized by the United States for over 100 years;
(2) the fundamental
democratic right to choose by secret ballot is the only method that ensures a
choice free of coercion, intimidation, irregularity, or illegality;
(3) the recognition of
a labor organization by way of a private agreement, rather than a secret ballot
election supervised by a neutral third party, threatens an employee’s right,
codified in the National Labor Relations Act, to choose whether or not to be
represented by a labor organization; and
(4) preserving
workers’ right to choose whether or not to be represented by a labor
organization through a secret ballot election is important to the strength of
the national economy.
703.
National Labor
Relations Act
(a)
Recognition of
representative
(1)
In
general
Section 8(a)(2) of the National Labor Relations Act (29
U.S.C. 158(a)(2)) is amended by inserting before the colon the following:
or to recognize or bargain collectively with a labor organization that
has not been selected by a majority of employees in a unit appropriate for such
purposes in a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations
Board in accordance with section 9.
(2)
Application
The
amendment made by paragraph (1) shall not apply to collective bargaining
relationships that were recognized before the date of enactment of this
Act.
(b)
Election
required
(1)
In
general
Section 8(b) of the National Labor Relations Act (29
U.S.C. 158(b)), as amended by subsection (c) of this section, is
amended—
(A) by striking
and at the end of paragraph (6);
(B) by striking the
period at the end of paragraph (7) and inserting ; and;
and
(C) by adding at the
end the following:
(8) to cause or attempt to cause an employer to
recognize or bargain collectively with a representative of a labor organization
that has not been selected by a majority of employees in a unit appropriate for
such purposes in a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor
Relations Board in accordance with section
9.
.
(2)
Application
The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall
not apply to collective bargaining relationships that were recognized before
the date of enactment of this Act.
(c)
Secret ballot
election required
Section 9(a) of the National Labor Relations
Act (29 U.S.C. 159(a)), is amended—
(1) by inserting
(1) after (a);
(2) by inserting after
designated or selected the following: by a secret ballot
election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board in accordance with
this section; and
(3) by adding at the
end the following:
(2) The secret ballot election requirement of
paragraph (1) shall not apply to collective bargaining relationships that were
recognized before the date of enactment of the Secret Ballot Protection
Act.
.
(d)
Conforming
amendments
Section 9(c)(1) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 159(c)(1)) is
amended—
(1) in subparagraph
(A)—
(A) in clause (i), by
striking and that their employer declines to recognize their
representative as the representative defined in section 9(a) and
inserting by a representative; and
(B) in clause (ii), by
striking section 9(a); and inserting subsection
(a),; and
(2) in subparagraph
(B), by striking alleging and all that follows through
defined in section 9(a).
704.
Regulations
Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act the National Labor Relations Board shall review and
revise all regulations promulgated before such date to implement the amendments
made in this title to the National Labor Relations Act.
VIII
Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure improvements
801.
Attorney
accountability
Rule 11(c) of
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure is amended—
(1) by amending the
first sentence to read as follows: If a pleading, motion, or other paper
is signed in violation of this rule, the court, upon motion or upon its own
initiative, shall impose upon the attorney, law firm, or parties that have
violated this subdivision or are responsible for the violation, an appropriate
sanction, which may include an order to pay the other party or parties for the
reasonable expenses incurred as a direct result of the filing of the pleading,
motion, or other paper, that is the subject of the violation, including a
reasonable attorney's fee.;
(2) in paragraph
(1)(A)—
(A) by striking
Rule 5 and all that follows through corrected.
and inserting Rule 5.; and
(B) by striking
the court may award and inserting the court shall
award; and
(3) in paragraph (2),
by striking shall be limited to what is sufficient and all that
follows through the end of the paragraph (including subparagraphs (A) and (B))
and inserting shall be sufficient to deter repetition of such conduct or
comparable conduct by others similarly situated, and to compensate the parties
that were injured by such conduct. The sanction may consist of an order to pay
to the party or parties the amount of the reasonable expenses incurred as a
direct result of the filing of the pleading, motion, or other paper that is the
subject of the violation, including a reasonable attorney's
fee..
802.
Applicability
of Rule 11 to State cases affecting interstate commerce
In any civil action in State court, the
court, upon motion, shall determine within 30 days after the filing of such
motion whether the action substantially affects interstate commerce. Such court
shall make such determination based on an assessment of the costs to the
interstate economy, including the loss of jobs, were the relief requested
granted. If the court determines such action substantially affects interstate
commerce, the provisions of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
shall apply to such action.
803.
Prevention of
forum-shopping
(a)
In
general
Subject to subsection
(b), a personal injury claim filed in State or Federal court may be filed only
in the State and, within that State, in the county (or if there is no State
court in the county, the nearest county where a court of general jurisdiction
is located), or Federal district in which—
(1) the person
bringing the claim, including an estate in the case of a decedent and a parent
or guardian in the case of a minor or incompetent—
(A) resides at the
time of filing; or
(B) resided at the
time of the alleged injury;
(2) the alleged injury
or circumstances giving rise to the personal injury claim allegedly
occurred;
(3) the defendant's
principal place of business is located, if the defendant is a corporation;
or
(4) the defendant
resides, if the defendant is an individual.
(b)
Determination of
Most Appropriate Forum
If a person alleges that the injury or
circumstances giving rise to the personal injury claim occurred in more than
one county (or Federal district), the trial court shall determine which State
and county (or Federal district) is the most appropriate forum for the claim.
If the court determines that another forum would be the most appropriate forum
for a claim, the court shall dismiss the claim. Any otherwise applicable
statute of limitations shall be tolled beginning on the date the claim was
filed and ending on the date the claim is dismissed under this
subsection.
(c)
Definitions
In
this section:
(1) The term
personal injury claim—
(A) means a civil
action brought under State law by any person to recover for a person's personal
injury, illness, disease, death, mental or emotional injury, risk of disease,
or other injury, or the costs of medical monitoring or surveillance (to the
extent such claims are recognized under State law), including any derivative
action brought on behalf of any person on whose injury or risk of injury the
action is based by any representative party, including a spouse, parent, child,
or other relative of such person, a guardian, or an estate;
(B) does not include a
claim brought as a class action; and
(C) does not include a
claim against a debtor in a case pending under title 11 of the United States
Code that is a personal injury tort or wrongful death claim within the meaning
of section 157(b)(5) of title 28, United States Code.
(2) The term
person means any individual, corporation, company, association,
firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity, but not
any governmental entity.
(3) The term
State includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and any other territory or
possession of the United States.
(d)
Applicability
This
section applies to any personal injury claim filed in Federal or State court on
or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
804.
Rule of
construction
Nothing in
section 402 or in the amendments made by section 401 shall be construed to bar
or impede the assertion or development of new claims or remedies under Federal,
State, or local civil rights law.
805.
Three-strikes
rule for suspending attorneys who commit multiple Rule 11 violations
(a)
Mandatory
Suspension
Whenever a Federal
district court determines that an attorney has violated Rule 11 of the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure, the court shall determine the number of times that
the attorney has violated that rule in that Federal district court during that
attorney's career. If the court determines that the number is three or more,
the Federal district court—
(1) shall suspend that
attorney from the practice of law in that Federal district court for one year;
and
(2) may suspend that
attorney from the practice of law in that Federal district court for any
additional period that the court considers appropriate.
(b)
Appeal;
Stay
An attorney has the right to appeal a suspension under
subsection (a). While such an appeal is pending, the suspension shall be
stayed.
(c)
Reinstatement
To
be reinstated to the practice of law in a Federal district court after
completion of a suspension under subsection (a), the attorney involved must
first petition the court for reinstatement under such procedures and conditions
as the court may prescribe.
806.
Presumption of
Rule 11 violation for repeatedly relitigating same issue
Whenever a party presents to a Federal court
a pleading, written motion, or other paper, that includes a claim or defense
that the party has already litigated and lost on the merits in any forum in
final decisions not subject to appeal on three consecutive occasions, and the
claim or defense, respectively, involves the same plaintiff and the same
defendant on each occasion, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the
presentation of such paper is in violation of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure.
807.
Enhanced
sanctions for document destruction in pending Federal court
proceedings
Whoever willfully
and intentionally influences, obstructs, or impedes, or attempts to influence,
or obstruct, or impede, a pending Federal court proceeding through the willful
and intentional destruction of documents sought pursuant to the rules of such
Federal court proceeding and highly relevant to that proceeding—
(1) shall be punished
with mandatory civil sanctions of a degree commensurate with the civil
sanctions available under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in
addition to any other civil sanctions that otherwise apply; and
(2) shall be held in
contempt of court; and if an attorney, referred to one or more appropriate
State bar associations for disciplinary proceedings.
808.
Ban on
concealment of unlawful conduct
(a)
In
general
In any Rule 11 of the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure proceeding, a court may not order that a court
record not be disclosed unless the court makes a finding of fact that
identifies the interest that justifies the order and determines that interest
outweighs any interest in the public health and safety that the court
determines would be served by disclosing the court record.
(b)
Applicability
This
section applies to any record formally filed with a court, but shall not
include any records subject to—
(1) the
attorney-client privilege or any other privilege recognized under Federal or
State law that grants the right to prevent disclosure of certain information
unless the privilege has been waived; or
(2) applicable State
or Federal laws that protect the confidentiality of crime victims, including
victims of sexual abuse.
IX
Regulatory
Flexibility Improvements Act of 2013
901.
Short
title
This title may be cited
as the Regulatory Flexibility
Improvements Act of 2013.
902.
Clarification
and expansion of rules covered by the Regulatory Flexibility Act
(a)
In
general
Paragraph (2) of section 601 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(2)
Rule
The
term rule has the meaning given such term in section 551(4) of
this title, except that such term does not include a rule of particular (and
not general) applicability relating to rates, wages, corporate or financial
structures or reorganizations thereof, prices, facilities, appliances,
services, or allowances therefor or to valuations, costs or accounting, or
practices relating to such rates, wages, structures, prices, appliances,
services, or
allowances.
.
(b)
Inclusion of
rules with indirect effects
Section 601 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(9)
Economic
impact
The term economic impact means, with respect
to a proposed or final rule—
(A) any direct
economic effect on small entities of such rule; and
(B) any indirect
economic effect on small entities which is reasonably foreseeable and results
from such rule (without regard to whether small entities will be directly
regulated by the rule).
.
(c)
Inclusion of
rules with beneficial effects
(1)
Initial
regulatory flexibility analysis
Subsection (c) of section 603 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking the first sentence and
inserting Each initial regulatory flexibility analysis shall also
contain a detailed description of alternatives to the proposed rule which
minimize any adverse significant economic impact or maximize any beneficial
significant economic impact on small entities..
(2)
Final regulatory
flexibility analysis
The
first paragraph (6) of section 604(a) of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by striking minimize the significant economic impact and
inserting minimize the adverse significant economic impact or maximize
the beneficial significant economic impact.
(d)
Inclusion of
rules affecting tribal organizations
Paragraph (5) of section 601
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting and tribal
organizations (as defined in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(l))), after special
districts,.
(e)
Inclusion of
land management plans and formal rulemaking
(1)
Initial
regulatory flexibility analysis
Subsection (a) of section 603 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended in the first sentence—
(A) by striking
or after proposed rule,; and
(B) by inserting
or publishes a revision or amendment to a land management plan,
after United States,.
(2)
Final regulatory
flexibility analysis
Subsection (a) of section 604 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended in the first sentence—
(A) by striking
or after proposed rulemaking,; and
(B) by inserting
or adopts a revision or amendment to a land management plan,
after section 603(a),.
(3)
Land management
plan defined
Section 601 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(10)
Land management
plan
(A)
In
general
The term land management plan means—
(i) any plan developed
by the Secretary of Agriculture under section 6 of the
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604); and
(ii) any plan
developed by the Secretary of Interior under section 202 of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712).
(B)
Revision
The
term revision means any change to a land management plan
which—
(i) in
the case of a plan described in subparagraph (A)(i), is made under section
6(f)(5) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5)); or
(ii) in the case of a
plan described in subparagraph (A)(ii), is made under section 1610.5–6 of title
43, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(C)
Amendment
The
term amendment means any change to a land management plan
which—
(i) in
the case of a plan described in subparagraph (A)(i), is made under section
6(f)(4) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(4)) and with
respect to which the Secretary of Agriculture prepares a statement described in
section 102(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)); or
(ii) in the case of a
plan described in subparagraph (A)(ii), is made under section 1610.5–5 of title
43, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation) and with respect
to which the Secretary of the Interior prepares a statement described in
section 102(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(C)).
.
(f)
Inclusion of
certain interpretive rules involving the internal revenue laws
(1)
In
general
Subsection (a) of section 603 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting or a
recordkeeping requirement, and without regard to whether such requirement is
imposed by statute or regulation..
(2)
Collection of
information
Paragraph (7) of section 601 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(7)
Collection of
information
The term collection of information has
the meaning given such term in section 3502(3) of title 44, United States
Code.
.
(3)
Recordkeeping
requirement
Paragraph (8) of section 601 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(8)
Recordkeeping
requirement
The term recordkeeping requirement has
the meaning given such term in section 3502(13) of title 44, United States
Code.
.
(g)
Definition of
small organization
Paragraph (4) of section 601 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(4)
Small
organization
(A)
In
general
The term small organization means any
not-for-profit enterprise which, as of the issuance of the notice of proposed
rulemaking—
(i) in
the case of an enterprise which is described by a classification code of the
North American Industrial Classification System, does not exceed the size
standard established by the Administrator of the Small Business Administration
pursuant to section 3 of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 632) for small business concerns described by such
classification code; and
(ii) in the case of
any other enterprise, has a net worth that does not exceed $7,000,000 and has
not more than 500 employees.
(B)
Local labor
organizations
In the case of any local labor organization,
subparagraph (A) shall be applied without regard to any national or
international organization of which such local labor organization is a
part.
(C)
Agency
definitions
Subparagraphs (A)
and (B) shall not apply to the extent that an agency, after consultation with
the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration and after
opportunity for public comment, establishes one or more definitions for such
term which are appropriate to the activities of the agency and publishes such
definitions in the Federal
Register.
.
903.
Requirements
providing for more detailed analyses
(a)
Initial
regulatory flexibility analysis
Subsection (b) of section 603 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) Each initial
regulatory flexibility analysis required under this section shall contain a
detailed statement—
(1) describing the
reasons why action by the agency is being considered;
(2) describing the
objectives of, and legal basis for, the proposed rule;
(3) estimating the
number and type of small entities to which the proposed rule will apply;
(4) describing the
projected reporting, recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements of the
proposed rule, including an estimate of the classes of small entities which
will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional skills
necessary for preparation of the report and record;
(5) describing all
relevant Federal rules which may duplicate, overlap, or conflict with the
proposed rule, or the reasons why such a description could not be
provided;
(6) estimating the
additional cumulative economic impact of the proposed rule on small entities
beyond that already imposed on the class of small entities by the agency or why
such an estimate is not available; and
(7) describing any
disproportionate economic impact on small entities or a specific class of small
entities.
.
(b)
Final regulatory
flexibility analysis
(1)
In
general
Section 604(a) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(A) in paragraph (4),
by striking an explanation and inserting a detailed
explanation;
(B) in each of
paragraphs (4), (5), and the first paragraph (6), by inserting
detailed before description; and
(C) by adding at the
end the following:
(7) describing any disproportionate economic
impact on small entities or a specific class of small
entities.
.
(2)
Inclusion of
response to comments on certification of proposed rule
Paragraph
(2) of section 604(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting
(or certification of the proposed rule under section 605(b))
after initial regulatory flexibility analysis.
(3)
Publication of
analysis on website
Subsection (b) of section 604 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) The agency shall
make copies of the final regulatory flexibility analysis available to the
public, including placement of the entire analysis on the agency’s website, and
shall publish in the Federal Register the final regulatory flexibility
analysis, or a summary thereof which includes the telephone number, mailing
address, and link to the website where the complete analysis may be
obtained.
.
(c)
Cross-References
to other analyses
Subsection (a) of section 605 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) A Federal agency
shall be treated as satisfying any requirement regarding the content of an
agenda or regulatory flexibility analysis under section 602, 603, or 604, if
such agency provides in such agenda or analysis a cross-reference to the
specific portion of another agenda or analysis which is required by any other
law and which satisfies such
requirement.
.
(d)
Certifications
Subsection
(b) of section 605 of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by inserting
detailed before statement; and
(2) by inserting
and legal after factual.
(e)
Quantification
requirements
Section 607 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
607.
Quantification
requirements
In complying with
sections 603 and 604, an agency shall provide—
(1) a quantifiable or
numerical description of the effects of the proposed or final rule and
alternatives to the proposed or final rule; or
(2) a more general
descriptive statement and a detailed statement explaining why quantification is
not practicable or
reliable.
.
904.
Repeal of
waiver and delay authority; additional powers of the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy
(a)
In
general
Section 608 is amended to read as follows:
608.
Additional
powers of Chief Counsel for Advocacy
(a)
(1) Not later than 270 days after the date of
the enactment of the Regulatory Flexibility Reform Act, the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration shall, after opportunity for
notice and comment under section 553, issue rules governing agency compliance
with this chapter. The Chief Counsel may modify or amend such rules after
notice and comment under section 553. This chapter (other than this subsection)
shall not apply with respect to the issuance, modification, and amendment of
rules under this paragraph.
(2) An agency shall not issue rules which
supplement the rules issued under subsection (a) unless such agency has first
consulted with the Chief Counsel for Advocacy to ensure that such supplemental
rules comply with this chapter and the rules issued under paragraph (1).
(b) Notwithstanding
any other law, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration may intervene in any agency adjudication (unless such agency is
authorized to impose a fine or penalty under such adjudication), and may inform
the agency of the impact that any decision on the record may have on small
entities. The Chief Counsel shall not initiate an appeal with respect to any
adjudication in which the Chief Counsel intervenes under this
subsection.
(c) The Chief Counsel
for Advocacy may file comments in response to any agency notice requesting
comment, regardless of whether the agency is required to file a general notice
of proposed rulemaking under section
553.
.
(b)
Conforming
amendments
(1) Section 611(a)(1) of such title is amended
by striking 608(b),.
(2) Section 611(a)(2) of such title is amended
by striking 608(b),.
(3) Section 611(a)(3) of such title is
amended—
(A) by striking
subparagraph (B); and
(B) by striking
(3)(A) A small entity and inserting the following:
(3) A small
entity
.
905.
Procedures for
gathering comments
Section 609
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (b) and all
that follows and inserting the following:
(b)
(1) Prior to publication of any proposed rule
described in subsection (e), an agency making such rule shall notify the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration and provide the Chief
Counsel with—
(A) all materials prepared or utilized by
the agency in making the proposed rule, including the draft of the proposed
rule; and
(B) information on the potential adverse
and beneficial economic impacts of the proposed rule on small entities and the
type of small entities that might be affected.
(2) An agency shall not be required under
paragraph (1) to provide the exact language of any draft if the rule—
(A) relates to the internal revenue laws
of the United States; or
(B) is proposed by an independent
regulatory agency (as defined in section 3502(5) of title 44, United States
Code).
(c) Not later than 15 days after the receipt of
such materials and information under subsection (b), the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration shall—
(1) identify small
entities or representatives of small entities or a combination of both for the
purpose of obtaining advice, input, and recommendations from those persons
about the potential economic impacts of the proposed rule and the compliance of
the agency with section 603 of this title; and
(2) convene a review
panel consisting of an employee from the Office of Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration, an employee from the agency making the rule, and in
the case of an agency other than an independent regulatory agency (as defined
in section 3502(5) of title 44, United States Code), an employee from the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and
Budget to review the materials and information provided to the Chief Counsel
under subsection (b).
(d)
(1) Not later than 60 days after the review
panel described in subsection (c)(2) is convened, the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration shall, after consultation with
the members of such panel, submit a report to the agency and, in the case of an
agency other than an independent regulatory agency (as defined in section
3502(5) of title 44, United States Code), the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget.
(2) Such report shall include an
assessment of the economic impact of the proposed rule on small entities and a
discussion of any alternatives that will minimize adverse significant economic
impacts or maximize beneficial significant economic impacts on small
entities.
(3) Such report shall become part of the
rulemaking record. In the publication of the proposed rule, the agency shall
explain what actions, if any, the agency took in response to such
report.
(e) A proposed rule is
described by this subsection if the Administrator of the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget, the head of the
agency (or the delegatee of the head of the agency), or an independent
regulatory agency determines that the proposed rule is likely to result
in—
(1) an annual effect
on the economy of $100,000,000 or more;
(2) a major increase
in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, or
local governments, tribal organizations, or geographic regions;
(3) significant
adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity,
innovation, or on the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete
with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets; or
(4) a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
(f) Upon application by the agency, the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration may waive the
requirements of subsections (b) through (e) if the Chief Counsel determines
that compliance with the requirements of such subsections are impracticable,
unnecessary, or contrary to the public
interest.
.
906.
Periodic review
of rules
Section 610 of title
5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
610.
Periodic review
of rules
(a) Not later than 180
days after the enactment of the Regulatory
Flexibility Improvements Act of 2013, each agency shall publish
in the Federal Register and place on its website a plan for the periodic review
of rules issued by the agency which the head of the agency determines have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Such
determination shall be made without regard to whether the agency performed an
analysis under section 604. The purpose of the review shall be to determine
whether such rules should be continued without change, or should be amended or
rescinded, consistent with the stated objectives of applicable statutes, to
minimize any adverse significant economic impacts or maximize any beneficial
significant economic impacts on a substantial number of small entities. Such
plan may be amended by the agency at any time by publishing the revision in the
Federal Register and subsequently placing the amended plan on the agency’s
website.
(b) The plan shall provide for the review of
all such agency rules existing on the date of the enactment of the
Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of
2013 within 10 years of the date of publication of the plan in
the Federal Register and for review of rules adopted after the date of
enactment of the Regulatory Flexibility
Improvements Act of 2013 within 10 years after the publication of
the final rule in the Federal Register. If the head of the agency determines
that completion of the review of existing rules is not feasible by the
established date, the head of the agency shall so certify in a statement
published in the Federal Register and may extend the review for not longer than
2 years after publication of notice of extension in the Federal Register. Such
certification and notice shall be sent to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the
Small Business Administration and the Congress.
(c) Each agency shall
annually submit a report regarding the results of its review pursuant to such
plan to the Congress, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration, and, in the case of agencies other than independent regulatory
agencies (as defined in section 3502(5) of title 44, United States Code) to the
Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office
of Management and Budget. Such report shall include the identification of any
rule with respect to which the head of the agency made a determination
described in paragraph (5) or (6) of subsection (d) and a detailed explanation
of the reasons for such determination.
(d) In reviewing a rule pursuant to subsections
(a) through (c), the agency shall amend or rescind the rule to minimize any
adverse significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities
or disproportionate economic impact on a specific class of small entities, or
maximize any beneficial significant economic impact of the rule on a
substantial number of small entities to the greatest extent possible,
consistent with the stated objectives of applicable statutes. In amending or
rescinding the rule, the agency shall consider the following factors:
(1) The continued need
for the rule.
(2) The nature of
complaints received by the agency from small entities concerning the
rule.
(3) Comments by the Regulatory Enforcement
Ombudsman and the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration.
(4) The complexity of
the rule.
(5) The extent to
which the rule overlaps, duplicates, or conflicts with other Federal rules and,
unless the head of the agency determines it to be infeasible, State and local
rules.
(6) The contribution
of the rule to the cumulative economic impact of all Federal rules on the class
of small entities affected by the rule, unless the head of the agency
determines that such calculations cannot be made and reports that determination
in the annual report required under subsection (c).
(7) The length of time
since the rule has been evaluated or the degree to which technology, economic
conditions, or other factors have changed in the area affected by the
rule.
(e) The agency shall publish in the Federal
Register and on its website a list of rules to be reviewed pursuant to such
plan. Such publication shall include a brief description of the rule, the
reason why the agency determined that it has a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities (without regard to whether it had prepared
a final regulatory flexibility analysis for the rule), and request comments
from the public, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration, and the Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman concerning the
enforcement of the
rule.
.
907.
Judicial review
of compliance with the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act available
after publication of the final rule
(a)
In
general
Paragraph (1) of section 611(a) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by striking final agency action and inserting
such rule.
(b)
Jurisdiction
Paragraph
(2) of such section is amended by inserting (or which would have such
jurisdiction if publication of the final rule constituted final agency
action) after provision of law,.
(c)
Time for
bringing action
Paragraph (3) of such section is amended—
(1) by striking
final agency action and inserting publication of the
final rule; and
(2) by inserting
, in the case of a rule for which the date of final agency action is the
same date as the publication of the final rule, after except
that.
(d)
Intervention by
Chief Counsel for Advocacy
Subsection (b) of section 612 of title
5, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the first period
or agency compliance with section 601, 603, 604, 605(b), 609, or
610.
908.
Jurisdiction of
court of appeals over rules implementing the Regulatory Flexibility
Act
(a)
In
general
Section 2342 of title 28, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (6),
by striking and at the end;
(2) in paragraph (7),
by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and;
and
(3) by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
(8) all final rules
under section 608(a) of title 5, United States
Code.
.
(b)
Conforming
amendments
Paragraph (3) of section 2341 of title 28, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) in subparagraph
(D), by striking and at the end;
(2) in subparagraph
(E), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and;
and
(3) by adding at the
end the following new subparagraph:
(F) the Office of
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration, when the final rule is under
section 608(a) of title 5, United States
Code.
.
(c)
Authorization To
intervene and comment on agency compliance with administrative
procedure
Subsection (b) of section 612 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by inserting chapter 5, and chapter 7, after
this chapter,.
909.
Clerical
amendments
(a) Section 601 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph
(1)—
(A) by striking the
semicolon at the end and inserting a period; and
(B) by striking
(1) the term and inserting the following:
(1)
Agency
The
term
;
(2) in paragraph
(3)—
(A) by striking the
semicolon at the end and inserting a period, and
(B) by striking
(3) the term and inserting the following:
(3)
Small
business
The
term
;
(3) in paragraph
(5)—
(A) by striking the
semicolon at the end and inserting a period, and
(B) by striking
(5) the term and inserting the following:
(5)
Small
governmental jurisdiction
The
term
;
and
(4) in paragraph
(6)—
(A) by striking
; and and inserting a period, and
(B) by striking
(6) the term and inserting the following:
(6)
Small
entity
The
term
.
(b) The heading of
section 605 of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as
follows:
605.
Incorporations
by reference and
certifications
.
(c) The table of
sections for chapter 6 of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking the
item relating to section 605 and inserting the following new item:
605. Incorporations by reference and
certifications.
;
(2) by striking the
item relating to section 607 and inserting the following new item:
607. Quantification
requirements.
;
and
(3) by striking the
item relating to section 608 and inserting the following:
608. Additional powers of Chief Counsel
for
Advocacy.
.
(d) Chapter 6 of title
5, United States Code, is amended as follows:
(1) In section 603, by
striking subsection (d).
(2) In section 604(a)
by striking the second paragraph (6).