I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy. Mr. Chairman, this is about keeping faith with the American public. It's not the end, but it's an important beginning. Large oil companies pay some of the lowest fees to American taxpayers compared to what oil companies pay anywhere in the world while enjoying unnecessarily expensive, outmoded tax breaks. And some, by bookkeeping errors, pay no royalties at all while they extract oil. Under this legislation, they will have to choose between continuing this rip-off or getting future leases. It will make the Land and Water Conservation Fund properly funded, making an impact on communities all across the country, and it leverages new resources. It does all this, as the chairman says, with a net benefit of deficit reduction of $5.3 billion over the next 5 years. Protect the taxpayer, protect the environment, and improve our communities by approving this legislation.
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