[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4264 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H.R. 4264

  To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to encourage summer 
  fill and fuel budgeting programs for propane, kerosene, and heating 
                                  oil.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 12, 2000

 Mr. Walsh (for himself and Mr. Holden) introduced the following bill; 
            which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to encourage summer 
  fill and fuel budgeting programs for propane, kerosene, and heating 
                                  oil.

    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 ``Summer Fill and Fuel Budgeting Act 
of 2000''.

SEC. 2. SUMMER FILL AND FUEL BUDGETING PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Part C of title II of the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6211 et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``SEC. 273. SUMMER FILL AND FUEL BUDGETING PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Budget contract.--The term `budget contract' means a 
        contract between a retailer and a consumer under which the 
        heating expenses of the consumer are spread evenly over a 
        period of months.
            ``(2) Fixed-price contract.--The term `fixed-price 
        contract' means a contract between a retailer and a consumer 
        under which the retailer charges the consumer a set price for 
        propane, kerosene, or heating oil without regard to market 
        price fluctuations.
            ``(3) Price cap contract.--The term `price cap contract' 
        means a contract between a retailer and a consumer under which 
        the retailer charges the consumer the market price for propane, 
        kerosene, or heating oil, but the cost of the propane, 
        kerosene, or heating oil may not exceed a maximum amount stated 
        in the contract.
    ``(b) Assistance.-- At the request of the chief executive officer 
of a State, the Secretary shall provide information, technical 
assistance, and funding--
            ``(1) to develop education and outreach programs to 
        encourage consumers to fill their storage facilities for 
        propane, kerosene, and heating oil during the summer months; 
        and
            ``(2) to promote the use of budget contracts, price cap 
        contracts, fixed-price contracts, and other advantageous 
        financial arrangements;
to avoid severe seasonal price increases for and supply shortages of 
those products.
    ``(c) Preference.--In implementing this section, the Secretary 
shall give preference to States that contribute public funds or 
leverage private funds to develop State summer fill and fuel budgeting 
programs.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            ``(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
            ``(2) such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year 
        thereafter.
    ``(e) Inapplicability of Expiration Provision.--Section 281 does 
not apply to this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents in the first 
section of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. prec. 
6201) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 272 
the following:

``Sec. 273. Summer fill and fuel budgeting programs.''.
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