Zoe Lofgren: “Mr. Speaker, this bill, which passed both the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims and the full Committee on the…”

“Mr. Speaker, this bill, which passed both the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims and the full Committee on the Judiciary during the 105th Congress, and passed the full Senate this year, will pay $10 million and $9,500,000 respectively to Kerr-McGee Corporation and Global Exploration and Development Corporation based on the recommendation made by the Court of Claims as to the amounts equitably due those companies. This legislation is intended to resolve litigation between the Federal Government and these corporations. This litigation was based upon the corporations' allegations that the United States improperly failed to grant or approve leases or to allow phosphate mining by Global and Kerr-McGee Corporations in Osceola National Forest. After a 6-week trial before the Court of Federal Claims, but before the court could issue an opinion, the parties agreed to a joint stipulation of settlement and submitted this stipulation to the court. On November 18, 1996, the court published its recommendation to Congress that the disputes be settled for the amounts set forth in this bill. The Court's recommendation to Congress was not based upon the finding of any wrongdoing by the United States in its dealings with Global or the Kerr-McGee Corporations.”