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[House Document 110-139]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                     

110th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 110-139

 
          A REQUEST FOR BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THEPRESIDENTOFTHEUNITEDSTATES

                              transmitting

   A REQUEST FOR FY 2009 BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                                INTERIOR

    July 29, 2008.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
         Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                         Washington, July 28, 2008.
Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Madam Speaker: I ask the Congress to consider the 
enclosed amendment to the FY2009 Budget for the Department of 
the Interior. Overall, the discretionary budget authority 
proposed in my FY 2009 Budget would not be affected by this 
amendment.
    The details of this proposal are set forth in the enclosed 
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.
                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                     Washington, DC, July 28, 2008.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration is an amendment to your FY 
2009 Budget for the Department of the Interior. This request 
would delete two provisions that exclude certain areas of the 
Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing. This action 
is consistent with your decision to lift the Executive 
withdrawal of these areas and your call on Congress to lift 
their legislative moratorium on leasing lands for energy 
production. Overall, the discretionary budget authority 
proposed in your FY 2009 Budget would not be affected by this 
proposal.
    I have reviewed this request and am satisfied that it is 
necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the Secretary of the 
Interior in recommending that you transmit this amendment to 
the Congress.
            Sincerely,
                                                Jim Nussle,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.
                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

             GENERAL PROVISIONS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FY 2009 Budget Appendix Pages: 682
FY 2009 Pending Request: --
Proposed Amendment: Language
Revised Request: --

(In the appropriations language under the above heading, delete 
the appropriations language in sections 104 and 105 in their 
entirety; re-number the following sections accordingly.)
    This amendment would delete two provisions from the FY 2009 
Budget request, thereby lifting the restriction on spending 
imposed annually for offshore preleasing, leasing, and related 
activities in Federal waters in the Outer Continental Shelf 
along portions of the Atlantic coast, Pacific coast, and the 
Gulf of Mexico.
    The budget authority requested in the FY 2009 Budget would 
not be affected by this amendment.

                                  
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