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Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000

Public Law 106-193 · H.R. 1753 · 106th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on May 2, 2000 · Energy

Sponsor: Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA-18)

Cosponsors (2): Rep. Ken Calvert,

Passage votes

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Methane Hydrate Research and Development Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, to commence a methane hydrate research and development program. Authorizes the Secretary to award program grants or contracts (based on a competitive merit-based process) to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, institutions of higher education and industrial enterprises.

Directs the Secretary to establish a panel to: (1) provide advice on applications of methane hydrate and priorities for the program; and (2) report to Congress on the impact on global climate change from methane hydrate formation and degassing and the consumption of natural gas produced from such hydrates. Limits to five percent the amount of program funding that can be used for administrative expense and prohibits the use of program funding for building construction.

Requires the Secretary, in awarding such grants or contracts or entering into such cooperative agreements, to: (1) facilitate and develop partnerships among government, industry, and institutions of higher education; (2) undertake programs to develop basic information necessary for promoting long-term interest in methane hydrate resources as an energy source; (3) ensure that the data and information developed through the program are accessible and widely disseminated; (4) promote cooperation among agencies that are developing technologies that may hold promise for methane hydrate resource development; and (5) report annually to Congress on accomplishments.

Amends the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 to: (1) redefine "marine mineral resource" to include methane hydrate (for the purposes of the marine mineral resources research program); and (2) define "methane hydrate."

Authorizes appropriations for FY 2002 through 2005.

Sunsets the methane hydrate research and development program after the end of FY 2005.

Instructs the Secretary to: (1) enter into an agreement with the National Research Council for a study and report to Congress on the progress made under the methane hydrate research and development program, together with any recommendations for future methane hydrate research and development needs; and (2) provide to the House Committee on Science any report or study prepared at the direction of any congressional committee.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.

  1. May 2, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-193.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Apr 20, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Apr 13, 2000Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment to Senate amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Apr 3, 2000FloorFloor · House agreed to Senate amendment with an amendment pursuant to H. Res. 453.
  6. Nov 19, 1999FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  7. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 2806 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
  8. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  9. Oct 26, 1999FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
  10. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  11. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  12. FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  13. Oct 18, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  14. Oct 13, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  15. Sep 9, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  16. Jun 30, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  18. May 25, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  19. May 21, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  20. May 12, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Environment Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Environment Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  22. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Environment Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  23. May 11, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  25. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.