I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4625 

To reduce temporarily the royalty required to be paid for sodium produced 

on Federal lands, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 21, 2004 

Mrs. CUBIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Resources 

A BILL 

To reduce temporarily the royalty required to be paid for 

sodium produced on Federal lands, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Soda Ash Royalty Re5 duction Act of 2004’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The combination of global competitive pres9 sures, flat domestic demand, and spiraling costs of 
2 

•HR 4625 IH 

1 production threaten the future of the United States 

2 soda ash industry. 

3 (2) Despite booming world demand, growth in 

4 United States exports of soda ash since 1997 has 

5 been flat, with most of the world’s largest markets 

6 for such growth, including Brazil, the People’s Re7 public of China, India, the countries of eastern Eu8 rope, and the Republic of South Africa, have been 

9 closed by protectionist policies. 

10 (3) The People’s Republic of China is the prime 

11 competitor of the United States in soda ash produc12 tion, and recently supplanted the United States as 

13 the largest producer of soda ash in the world. 

14 (4) Over 700 jobs have been lost in the United 

15 States soda ash industry since the Department of 

16 the Interior increased the royalty rate on soda ash 

17 produced on Federal land, in 1996. 

18 (5) Reduction of the royalty rate on soda ash 

19 produced on Federal land will provide needed relief 

20 to the United States soda ash industry and allow it 

21 to increase export growth and competitiveness in 

22 emerging world markets, and create new jobs in the 

23 United States. 
3 

•HR 4625 IH 

1 SEC. 3. REDUCTION IN ROYALTY RATE ON SODA ASH. 

2 Notwithstanding section 102(a)(9) of the Federal 

3 Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 

4 1701(a)(9)), section 24 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 

5 U.S.C. 262), and the terms of any lease under that Act, 

6 the royalty rate on the quantity or gross value of the out7 put of sodium compounds and related products at the 

8 point of shipment to market from Federal land in the 5- 

9 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 

10 Act shall be 2 percent. 

11 SEC. 4. STUDY. 

12 After the end of the 4-year period beginning on the 

13 date of the enactment of this Act, and before the end of 

14 the 5-year period beginning on that date, the Secretary 

15 of the Interior shall report to the Congress on the effects 

16 of the royalty reduction under this Act, including— 

17 (1) the amount of sodium compounds and re18 lated products at the point of shipment to market 

19 from Federal land during that 4-year period; 

20 (2) the number of jobs that have been created 

21 or maintained during the royalty reduction period; 

22 (3) the total amount of royalty paid to the 

23 United States on the quantity or gross value of the 

24 output of sodium compounds and related products at 

25 the point of shipment to market produced during 
4 

•HR 4625 IH 

1 that 4-year period, and the portion of such royalty 

2 paid to States; and 

3 (4) a recommendation of whether the reduced 

4 royalty rate should apply after the end of the 5-year 

5 period beginning on the date of the enactment of 

6 this Act. 

Æ