Lawmakers demand royalties:Key Republicans urge collection of back payment

[Judi Lynn]

Sept. 26, 2006, 11:08PM
Lawmakers demand royalties
Key Republicans urge collection of back payments


By DAVID IVANOVICH
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Two key Republicans assailed the Interior Department on Tuesday over its decision not to try to recoup at least $1.3 billion in oil and natural gas royalties left unpaid after the government bungled offshore lease agreements.

"That money belongs to the federal government and must be collected just as any other benefit unduly conferred upon a private citizen," Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., wrote in a blistering letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.

The lawmakers insisted the Bush administration "provide us with an amended plan to retrieve this money."

The Interior Department's Minerals Management Service, or MMS, issued flawed lease deals in 1998 and 1999 to companies wanting to drill in the Gulf's deep waters.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4217414.html

[aquart]

1. Talk about your government handout.

Filthy rich federal welfare recipients buying their fifth Ferrari with our money.

Living like kings. Welfare kings. Living like thieves in a land with no law.

[rodeodance]

2. a few months back Dems tried to do this by an amendment but the House

Repugs voted them down. (maybe it was the Senate).

[zbdent]

3. I'm surprised that the Repukes are not trying to spin this as

"yet another Democratic tax" on the "small businessman" ...

:eyes: