,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #dgcc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,augu/ #b1 #bjbb,ms4   
,cortez ,ma/o introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2  
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural         
,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,m9]al 
,leas+ ,act to provide = c]ta9 re=ms to 
! process relat+ to applications =      
p]mits to drill & ! eligibility         
requirem5ts = prospective bidd]s 9 lease
 sales1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort    
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,use x  
or ,lose ,x ,act4  #b4 ,eligibility to  
p>ticipate 9 lease sales ,section       
#ag7;h7 ( ! ,m9]al ,leas+ ,act 7#cj     
,u4,s4,c4 #bbf7;h77 is am5d$ by /rik+ ! 
subsection designation & all t foll[s   
?r\gh ,! ,secret>y & ins]t+ ! foll[+3   
7h7 ,limitations  7#a7 ,requir$         
c]tification ,a prospective lessee %all 
n be eligible to p>ticipate 9 a lease   
sale or o!rwise acquire a new lease "u  
?is section until ! date on :i* !       
prospective lessee1 9 accordance )      

proc$ures develop$ by ! ,secret>y ( !   
,int]ior1 c]tifies to ! ,secret>y ( !   
,int]ior t ! prospective lessee-- 7,a7  
has dilig5tly develop$ all o!r leases   
issu$ to ! prospective bidd] "u ?is     
section by n lat] ?an ! expiration ( !  
applicable prim>y lease t]m1 z det]m9$  
by ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior2  7,b7 has  
rel9qui%$ any o!r leases issu$ to !     
prospective bidd] "u ?is section t h n  
be5 dilig5tly develop$ by ! prospective 
bidd] by n lat] ?an ! expiration ( !    
applicable prim>y lease t]m1 z det]m9$  
by ! ,secret>y2 &  7,c7 has compli$ )   
any o!r c]tifications t ! ,secret>y ( ! 
,int]ior may reasonably require4  7#b7  
,national =e/ sy/em l& ,! ,secret>y  4  
#c4 ,applications = p]mits to drill     
,section #ag7p7 ( ! ,m9]al ,leas+ ,act  
7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #bbf7p77 is am5d$ add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+3  7#d7 ,priority = issu+
 applications = p]mits to drill ,=      
purposes ( consid]+ applications =      
p]mits to drill submitt$ to ! ,secret>y 
( ! ,int]ior "u ?is subsection1 !       

,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior %all give        
priority to any applicant t has-- 7,a7  
demon/rat$1 to ! satisfaction ( !       
,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior1 an ability &    
will+ness to commit to climate          
mitigation & o!r =ms ( environm5tal     
mitigation ) respect to ! propos$       
activities1 includ+-- 7i7 b9d+          
commitm5ts to plug & reclaim inactive   
wells2 &  7ii7 a will+ness to rel9qui%  
leases 9 s5sitive areas1 p>ticul>ly     
areas t 7 subsequ5tly clos$ to1 or      
)drawn f1 leas+2  7,b7 provid$          
production e/imates = ! propos$ drill+  
activities2 or  7,c7 demon/rat$ previ\s 
success ) respect to complet+ wells4    
7#e7 ,expiration ( unus$ applications = 
p]mits to drill2 ext5sions  7,a7 ,9     
g5]al ,subject to subp>agraph 7,b71 an  
application = a p]mit to drill t is     
approv$ "u ?is subsection aft] ! date ( 
enactm5t ( ?is p>agraph t is consid]$ to
 be unus$1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y ( ! 
,int]ior1 %all expire on ! date t is #a 
ye> aft] ! date ( ! approval ( !        

application = a p]mit to drill4  7,b7   
,ext5sions ,! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior--  
7i7 may ext5d1 n m ?an #a "t1 !         
expiration date ( an unus$ approv$      
application = a p]mit to drill t w\ld   
o!rwise expire "u subp>agraph 7,a7 = a  
p]iod ( n m ?an #ahj days2 &  7ii7 may n
 ext5d ! expiration date ( an approv$   
application = a p]mit to drill t 0      
approv$ be=e ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is    
p>agraph t is consid]$ to be unus$1 z   
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior4    
7,c7 ,disqualification ( c]ta9          
applicants ,beg9n+ on ! date ( enactm5t 
( ?is p>agraph1 an applicant = a p]mit  
to drill t has a high] ?an av]age numb] 
( unus$ approv$ applications = p]mits to
 drill "u ?is subsection1 z det]m9$ by !
 ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior1 %all n be      
eligible = a new application = a p]mit  
to drill "u ?is subsection unless !     
,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior det]m9es t-- 7i7 
! applicant has rel9qui%$ a suffici5t   
numb] ( unus$ approv$ applications =    
p]mits to drill2 or  7ii7 ! applicant   

has conv]t$ a suffici5t numb] ( unus$   
approv$ applications = p]mits to drill (
 ! applicant to 9 use /atus4  4