[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 287 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 287

 Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the actions needed to 
  address the recent dramatic price increase in heating oil and other 
                         petroleum distillates.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2000

 Mr. Sherwood submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 
on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
         fall within the juriscition of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the actions needed to 
  address the recent dramatic price increase in heating oil and other 
                         petroleum distillates.

Whereas the United States is increasingly dependent upon the Organization of 
        Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for crude oil supplies;
Whereas this growing reliance on imports has now reached 56 percent of the 
        annual demand for crude oil in the United States, placing the Nation's 
        economic future in the control of foreign governments, including Iraq;
Whereas OPEC may extend the existing production cuts;
Whereas according to the International Energy Agency, global oil supplies could 
        be as much as 3 million barrels per day below demand in the first 
        quarter of 2000 and as much as 1.5 million barrels per day below demand 
        in the second quarter;
Whereas the dependence of the United States on foreign supplies to meet domestic 
        demand has resulted in record-high crude oil prices;
Whereas the current high prices for distillates such as heating oil, gasoline, 
        and diesel fuel have had an alarming impact upon domestic commerce and 
        industry, especially farming, trucking, utility, and municipal services;
Whereas the infrastructure for fuels such as natural gas (as an alternative to 
        heating oil for residences and industry) is insufficient to meet demand, 
        especially in the northeastern United States; and
Whereas a coherent energy policy on the part of the United States Government 
        could ameliorate such consumer price vulnerability: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress calls on the President to direct the Secretary of 
Energy to--
            (1) take immediate action to negotiate with the 
        Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and with 
        non-OPEC nations to increase oil production sufficient to 
        mitigate the current supply crisis such that world oil prices 
        reach a sustainable level for both producer and consumer 
        nations; and
            (2) develop a plan and recommend to the Congress by July 1, 
        2000, both short-term and long-term solutions by which the 
        United States can reduce its dependence on foreign oil supply, 
        including--
                    (A) an analysis of options for sales or exchanges 
                of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
                established by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.);
                    (B) an analysis of options for increasing 
                efficiency in energy utilization;
                    (C) a plan for increasing natural gas supply to 
                markets in the northeastern United States; and
                    (D) an evaluation of how the United States can 
                increase domestic crude oil production to alleviate 
                risks to national security due to dependence on foreign 
                oil.
                                 <all>