I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9759 

To authorize the establishment of a program to combat oil theft in the 

Permian Basin. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 

Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To authorize the establishment of a program to combat oil 

theft in the Permian Basin. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect the Permian 

5 Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PERMIAN BASIN OIL THEFT TASK FORCE. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Federal Bu8 reau of Investigations is authorized to establish a program 

9 to combat oil theft in the Permian Basin to be carried 


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1 out through the Permian Basin Oil Theft Task Force 

2 (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘task force’’). 

3 (b) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the program es4 tablished pursuant to subsection (a), the Director of the 

5 Federal Bureau of Investigations shall coordinate with the 

6 heads of relevant State, local, and Tribal law enforcement 

7 organizations. 

8 (c) COMPOSITION.—The task force shall consist of 

9 not fewer than 3 employees of the Federal Bureau of In10 vestigation, one of whom shall be the head of the task 

11 force, and may include such local, State, and tribal law 

12 enforcement partners as the Director of the Federal Bu13 reau of Investigation determines appropriate. 

14 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

15 of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the task 

16 force shall submit to the President and relevant congres17 sional committees a report on all task force activities, in18 cluding— 

19 (1) the number of criminal charges brought and 

20 convictions resulting from the task force’s activities; 

21 and 

22 (2) a detailed account of all funds obligated for 

23 task force operational and administrative costs. 


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1 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

2 authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out this 

3 section. 

4 (f) RELEVANT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—For 

5 purposes of this section, the term ‘‘relevant congressional 

6 committees’’ means— 

7 (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the 

8 Senate; 

9 (2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Sen10 ate; 

11 (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the 

12 House of Representatives; and 

13 (4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 

14 House of Representatives. 

15 SEC. 3. ENHANCING CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 

16 (a) INTERSTATE OR FOREIGN SHIPMENTS BY CAR17 RIER; STATE PROSECUTIONS.—Section 659 of title 18, 

18 United States Code, is amended— 

19 (1) by inserting after ‘‘pipeline system’’ the fol20 lowing: ‘‘or oil refinery or related asset’’; 

21 (2) by striking ‘‘one year’’ and inserting ‘‘5 

22 years’’; and 

23 (3) by striking ‘‘10 years’’ and inserting ‘‘15 

24 years’’. 


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1 (b) TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN GOODS, SECURI2 TIES, MONEYS, FRAUDULENT STATE TAX STAMPS, OR

3 ARTICLES USED IN COUNTERFEITING.—Section 2314 of 

4 such title is amended— 

5 (1) by inserting after ‘‘goods, wares, merchan6 dise,’’ the following: ‘‘oil, pipeline, oil and gas equip7 ment or technology,’’; 

8 (2) by striking ‘‘one year’’ and inserting ‘‘5 

9 years’’; and 

10 (3) by striking ‘‘ten years’’ and inserting ‘‘15 

11 years’’. 

12 (c) SALE OR RECEIPT OF STOLEN GOODS, SECURI13 TIES, MONEYS, OR FRAUDULENT STATE TAX STAMPS.— 

14 Section 2315 of such title is amended by striking ‘‘ten 

15 years’’ and inserting ‘‘15 years’’. 

16 SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED USE OF BYRNE JAG 

17 FUNDS. 

18 Section 501(a)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 

19 Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152(a)(1)) is 

20 amended by adding at the end the following: 

21 ‘‘(J) Programs to reduce or combat oil 

22 theft and related crimes (including theft of 

23 pipes, technology, equipment, or other assets re24 lated to oil refineries or pipelines).’’. 

Æ 


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