February 14, 2006
Government May Waive Near $7 Bln in Oil, Gas Royalties: Report
By REUTERS

Filed at 2:08 a.m. EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The government may waive up to $7 billion in royalty payments from companies pumping oil and natural gas on federal territory in the next five years, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing administration officials and budget documents.

The royalty relief would amount to one of the biggest giveaways of oil and gas in U.S. history, even though the administration assumes oil prices will remain above $50 a barrel throughout that period, the Times report said.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Storm Victims to Get Money but no Hotels.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 6:53 a.m. ET

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — About 12,000 families made homeless by last year’s hurricanes began checking out of their federally funded hotel rooms around the country Monday after a federal judge let FEMA stop paying directly for their stays.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency promised the evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that they will still receive federal rent assistance that they can put toward hotel stays or other housing. But the agency will no longer pay for their hotel rooms directly.