In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. INVESTIGATIONS BY THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
UNDER THE NATURAL GAS ACT AND FEDERAL POWER ACT.

(a) Investigations Under the Natural Gas Act.--Section 14(c) of the
Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717m(c)) is amended--
(1) by striking ''(c) For the purpose of'' and inserting
the following:
''(c) Taking of Evidence.--
''(1) In general.--For the purpose of'';
(2) by striking ''Such attendance'' and inserting the
following:
''(2) No geographic limitation.--The attendance'';
(3) by striking ''Witnesses summoned'' and inserting the
following:
''(3) Expenses.--Any witness summoned''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
''(4) Exclusive authority.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the exercise of the authorities of the
Commission under this subsection shall not be subject to the
consent of the Office of Management and Budget or any other
Federal agency.''.
(a) Investigations Under the Federal Power Act.--Section 307(b) of
the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 825f(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking ''(b) For the purpose of'' and inserting
the following:
''(b) Taking of Evidence.--
''(1) In general.--For the purpose of'';
(2) by striking ''Such attendance'' and inserting the
following:
''(2) No geographic limitation.--The attendance'';
(3) by striking ''Witnesses summoned'' and inserting the
following:
''(3) Expenses.--Any witness summoned''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
''(4) Exclusive authority.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the exercise of the authorities of the
Commission under this subsection shall not be subject to the
consent of the Office of Management and Budget or any other
Federal agency.''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN CRIMINAL PENALTIES UNDER THE NATURAL GAS ACT AND
FEDERAL POWER ACT.

(a) Criminal Penalties Under the Natural Gas Act.--Section 21 of
the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717t) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ''punished by a fine of
not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not more than two
years, or both'' and inserting ''imprisoned not more than 5
years, fined not more than $1,000,000, or both''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ''$500 for each and
every day during which such offense occurs'' and inserting
''$50,000 for each day of each violation''.
(b) Criminal Penalties Under the Federal Power Act.--
(1) General Penalties.--Section 316 of the Federal Power
Act (16 U.S.C. 825o) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ''punished by a
fine of not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not
more than two years or both'' and inserting
''imprisoned not more than 5 years, fined not more than
$1,000,000, or both''; and
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ''$500 for each
and every day during which such offense occurs'' and
inserting ''$50,000 for each day of each violation''.
(2) Enforcement of certain provisions.--Section 316A of the
Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 825o-1) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the
following:
''(a) Violations.--It shall be unlawful for any person--
''(1) to violate any provision of part II (including any
rule or order issued under a provision of that part); or
''(2) to fail to comply, within a time period specified by
the Commission, with--
''(A) any written request by the Commission or a
member of the staff of the Commission for information;
or
''(B) a formal investigation or proceeding under
this part.''; and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) by striking ''section 211, 212, 213 or
214 or any provision of any rule or order
thereunder'' and inserting the following:
''part II (including any rule or order issued
under a provision of that part) or fails to
comply in a timely manner with any written
request for information by the Commission or a
member of the staff of the Commission or in a
formal investigation or proceeding under this
part''; and
(ii) by striking ''$10,000 for each day
that such violation continues'' and inserting
''$50,000 for each day of each violation''.

SEC. 3. CONSULTING SERVICES.

Title IV of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C.
7171 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

''SEC. 408. CONSULTING SERVICES.

''(a) In General.--The Chairman may contract for the services of
consultants to assist the Commission in carrying out any
responsibilities of the Commission under this Act, the Federal Power
Act (16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.), or the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717 et
seq.).
''(b) Applicable Law.--In contracting for consultant services under
subsection (a), if the Chairman determines that the contract is in the
public interest, the Chairman, in entering into a contract, shall not
be subject to--
''(1) section 5, 253, 253a, or 253b of title 41, United
States Code; or
''(2) any law (including a regulation) relating to
conflicts of interest.''.
Amends the Natural Gas Act and the Federal Power Act to: (1) provide that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is not subject to the consent of the Office of Management and Budget or any other Federal agency when it elects to exercise its investigative authority; and (2) increase criminal penalties for violations of these Acts.Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to authorize the Chairman of FERC to contract for consultant services to assist the Commission in carrying out its responsibilities.States that in contracting for those services the Chairman shall not be subject to any law relating to conflicts of interest.