I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1143 
To achieve greater national energy independence by limiting presidential with-
drawals of offshore lands from disposition for exploration, development, 
or production of oil and gas, to authorize States to petition for authoriza-
tion to conduct offshore oil and natural gas exploration and extraction 
in any area that is within 50 miles of the coastline of the State and 
within the seaward lateral boundaries of the State extended, to share 
offshore oil and gas revenues with States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 24, 2009 
Mr. POE of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To achieve greater national energy independence by limiting 
presidential withdrawals of offshore lands from disposi-
tion for exploration, development, or production of oil 
and gas, to authorize States to petition for authorization 
to conduct offshore oil and natural gas exploration and 
extraction in any area that is within 50 miles of the 
coastline of the State and within the seaward lateral 
boundaries of the State extended, to share offshore oil 
and gas revenues with States, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Developing Resources 
Immediately and Long-Term through Leases on Our Na-
tion’s Offshore Waters Act of 2009’’ or the ‘‘DRILL 
NOW Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. REVOCATION OF EXISTING PRESIDENTIAL AUTHOR-
ITY. 
Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
Act (43 U.S.C. 1341(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘the President’’ and inserting 
‘‘(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Presi-
dent’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: , are 
hereby revoked. 
‘‘(2)(A) The President may not withdraw any lands 
of the outer Continental Shelf from disposition for explo-
ration, development, or production of oil and gas, except 
as the President determines necessary for national secu-
rity purposes. 
‘‘(B) This paragraph shall not affect any withdrawal 
in effect immediately before the enactment of the DRILL 
NOW Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 3. AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN AREAS FOR LEASING. 
Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1337) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
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‘‘(q) AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN AREAS FOR LEAS-
ING.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) COASTAL ZONE.—The term ‘coastal 
zone’ has the meaning that term has in section 
304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453). 
‘‘(B) GOVERNOR.—The term ‘Governor’ 
means the Governor of a State. 
‘‘(C) QUALIFIED
REVENUES.—The term 
‘qualified revenues’ means all rentals, royalties, 
bonus bids, and other sums due and payable to 
the United States from leases entered into on 
or after the date of enactment of the DRILL 
NOW Act of 2009 for natural gas exploration 
and extraction activities authorized by the Sec-
retary under this subsection. 
‘‘(2) PETITION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Governor of a 
State may submit to the Secretary a petition 
requesting that the Secretary issue leases au-
thorizing the conduct of oil and natural gas ex-
ploration and extraction activities in any area 
that is within 50 miles of the coastline of the 
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