Nearly 2 years ago, then Sen. David Boren (D-Okla.) brought a hundred oil state congressmen together to agree on measures to rejuvenate the U.S. oil and gas industry.
The group drafted a package of proposals and discussed it with President Clinton (OGJ, June 27, 1994, p. 21).
Only two of the proposals in the package made it into law, and that took 17 months. They were bills allowing exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil and facilitating royalty relief for marginal offshore fields (OGJ, Dec. 4, p. 40).
Lawmakers caucus
The true legacy of the Boren task force is that it led to creation of a permanent congressional caucus.
The bipartisan Congressional Oil and Gas Forum was launched last January. It consists of 21 senators and 75 members of the House of Representatives, all from oil regions.
Cochairmen are Sens. Bennett Johnston (D-La.) and Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Reps. Jim McCrery (R-La.) and Glenn Poshard (D-Ill.). Domenici is first among equals.
The caucus meets every 4-6 weeks to discuss the status of legislation. Charles Gentry, Domenicis administrative assistant, said, We never meet as an entire group. We try, but its impossible to get all the congressmen together at one time.
The group has no funds or staff. All tasks are performed by the lawmakers aides.
David Stricklin, Poshards chief of staff, said, We have been as active as we can be, given the demands on everyones time.
The forums main role has been information sharing, with legislators and their staffs helping one another keep abreast of issues.
Gentry said the staffs have more to do than they can possibly manage. Before the forum was established there was little or no coordination among their offices.
He said, Our goals are to continue to educate congressmen on issues and legislation that affect the domestic oil and gas industry.
Some aides believe the caucus was instrumental in helping overcome obstacles that delayed passage of the ANS and deepwater royalty relief measures.
The forum has taken positions on oil and gas issues and communicated those in joint letters to administration officials and other lawmakers.
The congressmen also met with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner to discuss her agencys actions that affect the industry.
Stricklin said, The administrator came with an extremely good understanding of the industry, and we hope that will help us continue to communicate with her.
Other activity
Among other programs in Washington, oil industry associations have made presentations to the forum.
Six major oil and gas groups headquartered in Washington have formed the Oil & Gas Education Foundation to reply to congressional questions about industry issues.
The Congressional Oil & Gas Forum has begun work on an agenda for 1996. Two issues expected to be on the list are federal regulatory reform and reauthorization of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund).
Copyright 1996 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
