119-hr4034

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4034 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4034

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

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 17, 2025

 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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Protect the Permian Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. PERMIAN BASIN OIL THEFT TASK FORCE.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation is authorized to establish a program to combat oil theft 
in the Permian Basin to be carried out through the Permian Basin Oil 
Theft Task Force (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``task 
force'').

    (b) Coordination.--In carrying out the program established pursuant 
to subsection

    (a) , the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
shall coordinate with the heads of relevant State, local, and Tribal 
law enforcement organizations, including other relevant organizations, 
at the Director's discretion, with expertise in the oil and gas 
industry, such as the Railroad Commission of Texas.
            (c) Composition.--The task force shall consist of not fewer than 2 
full time employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, one of whom 
shall be the head of the task force, and may include such local, State, 
and tribal law enforcement partners as the Director of the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation determines appropriate.
            (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act and annually thereafter, the task force shall submit to the 
President and relevant congressional committees a report on all task 
force activities, including--

    (1) the number of criminal charges brought and convictions 
 resulting from the task force's activities; and

    (2) a detailed account of all funds obligated for task 
 force operational and administrative costs.

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated not less than $100,000 and not more than $1,000,000 to 
carry out this section.

    (f) Relevant Congressional Committees.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--

    (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

    (2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

    (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
 Representatives; and

    (4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
 Representatives.

SEC. 3. ENHANCING CRIMINAL PENALTIES.

    (a) Interstate or Foreign Shipments by Carrier; State 
Prosecutions.--

Section 659 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended--

    (1) by inserting after ``pipeline system'' the following: 
 ``or oil refinery or related asset'';

    (2) by striking ``3 years'' and inserting ``5 years''; and

    (3) by striking ``10 years'' and inserting ``15 years''.

    (b) Transportation of Stolen Goods, Securities, Moneys, Fraudulent 
State Tax Stamps, or Articles Used in Counterfeiting.--

Section 2314 of 
such title is amended--

    (1) by inserting after ``goods, wares, merchandise,'' the 
 following: ``oil, pipeline, oil and gas equipment or 
 technology,'';

    (2) by striking ``one year'' and inserting ``5 years''; and

    (3) by striking ``ten years'' and inserting ``15 years''.
            (c) Sale or Receipt of Stolen Goods, Securities, Moneys, or 
Fraudulent State Tax Stamps.--

Section 2315 of such title is amended by 
striking ``ten years'' and inserting ``15 years''.

SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED USE OF BYRNE JAG FUNDS.

 

Section 501

    (a)

    (1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 
of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152

    (a)

    (1) ) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
 ``
        (J) Programs to reduce or combat oil theft and 
 related crimes (including theft of pipes, technology, 
 equipment, or other assets related to oil refineries or 
 pipelines), as well as the hiring of personnel 
 dedicated to investigating and preventing oil theft.''.
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