[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 379 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 379

  Providing that certain actions should be taken with respect to the 
actions of OPEC and other oil-exporting countries, and with respect to 
 decreasing the dependency of the United States on foreign sources of 
                                  oil.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 9, 2002

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Providing that certain actions should be taken with respect to the 
actions of OPEC and other oil-exporting countries, and with respect to 
 decreasing the dependency of the United States on foreign sources of 
                                  oil.

Whereas the 11 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries 
        (OPEC) account for 40 percent of world production and 77 percent of the 
        world's proven oil reserves, and close alliances with other oil-
        exporting countries that are not members of OPEC have increased OPEC's 
        market power;
Whereas OPEC actively sought out commitments of export reductions by those other 
        oil-exporting countries beginning in November of 2001 in an effort to 
        raise the world price of oil;
Whereas OPEC made as a condition of cutting its exports by 1,500,000 barrels per 
        day, the pledges to reduce exports by nearly 500,000 barrels per day 
        that were made by the non-OPEC countries of Mexico, Norway, Oman, 
        Angola, and Russia;
Whereas the total pledged reductions of 2,000,000 barrels per day by OPEC and 
        non-OPEC countries threatened United States consumers and businesses 
        with the prospect of higher energy costs at precisely the time the 
        Nation struggled to deal with the economic ramifications of the 
        terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas on March 15, 2001, despite evidence of increased demand, OPEC announced 
        that it would continue to restrict oil output at its current level;
Whereas as a direct result of that announcement, gasoline prices to consumers 
        surged by nearly 15 cents per gallon across the United States between 
        March 8, 2002, and March 22, 2002, the largest 2-week price-per-gallon 
        increase in nearly 50 years;
Whereas the dependence of the United States on foreign sources of oil, in a 
        market dominated by OPEC, has cost the United States economy several 
        trillion dollars since 1973, as a result of shocks from steep increases 
        in oil prices and of oil payments well in excess of prices that would 
        prevail in a relatively free market; and
Whereas a comprehensive national energy policy would provide the United States 
        with a plan to become more energy self-sufficient and less dependent on 
        the OPEC oil cartel: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That--
            (1) the President should express to the oil exporting 
        countries that are not members of the Organization of Petroleum 
        Exporting Countries (OPEC), such as the Republic of Mexico, 
        that decisions to restrict crude oil supply in the world 
        market, in accordance with requests made by the OPEC cartel, 
        adversely affect the national security of the United States and 
        the world economy;
            (2) the President should encourage the allies of the United 
        States in the Persian Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia, 
        Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, who are members of 
        the OPEC cartel, to reconsider their December 28, 2001, 
        announcement to reduce output and their March 15, 2002, 
        announcement to hold the cartel's crude oil output at current 
        levels despite indications of increased demand in the United 
        States and abroad;
            (3) the President should encourage the oil exporting 
        countries allied to the United States, including non-OPEC 
        states such as Mexico and Norway, and OPEC members Saudi 
        Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, to 
        increase oil production and exports to the United States to 
        offset any shortfall in exports resulting from Iraq's boycott 
        of oil shipments; and
            (4) the United States Senate should act to pass 
        legislation, such as H.R. 4 that passed in the United States 
        House of Representatives, instituting a comprehensive national 
        energy policy that would bolster the national security of the 
        United States by reducing dependence on foreign sources of 
        energy, thereby resulting in lower prices for consumers in the 
        United States.
                                 <all>