[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1169 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1169

 To decrease the United States dependence on imported oil by the year 
                                 2015.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 3, 2003

  Mr. Specter introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To decrease the United States dependence on imported oil by the year 
                                 2015.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. INCREASED FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS TO REDUCE OIL CONSUMPTION.

    (a) Requirement for New Regulations.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
        issue, under section 32902 of title 49, United States Code, new 
        regulations setting forth increased average fuel economy 
        standards for automobiles that are determined on the basis of 
        the maximum feasible average fuel economy levels for the 
        automobiles, taking into consideration the matters set forth in 
        subsection (f) of such section.
            (2) Time for issuing regulations.--
                    (A) Non-passenger automobiles.--For non-passenger 
                automobiles, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
                issue the final regulations not later than 15 months 
                after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                    (B) Passenger automobiles.--For passenger 
                automobiles, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
                issue--
                            (i) the proposed regulations not later than 
                        180 days after the date of the enactment of 
                        this Act; and
                            (ii) the final regulations not later than 2 
                        years after that date.
    (b) Phased Increases.--The regulations issued pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall specify standards that take effect successively 
over several vehicle model years not exceeding 15 vehicle model years.
    (c) Clarification of Authority To Amend Passenger Automobile 
Standard.--Section 32902(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``or such 
other number as the Secretary prescribes under subsection (c)''.
    (d) Oil Savings.--
            (1) In general.--The new regulations required by this 
        section shall include regulations that apply to passenger and 
        non-passenger automobiles manufactured after model year 2006 
        and are designed to result in a reduction in the amount of oil 
        (including oil refined into gasoline) used by automobiles of at 
        least 1,000,000 barrels per day by 2015.
            (2) Calculation of reduction.--To determine the amount of 
        the reduction in oil used by passenger and non-passenger 
        automobiles, the Secretary of Transportation shall make 
        calculations based on the number of barrels of oil projected by 
        the Energy Information Administration of the Department of 
        Energy in table A7 of the report entitled ``Annual Energy 
        Outlook 2002'' (report no. DOE/EIA-0383(2002)) to be consumed 
        by light-duty vehicles in 2015 without the regulations required 
        by paragraph (1).
            (3) Consideration of alternative fuel technologies.--The 
        Secretary of Transportation shall consult with the Secretary of 
        Energy to identify alternative fuel technologies that could be 
        utilized in the transportation sector to reduce dependence on 
        crude-oil-derived fuels. The Secretary of Transportation shall 
        take those technologies into consideration in prescribing the 
        regulations under this section.
    (e) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Reports required.--Beginning in 2007, the Secretary of 
        Transportation shall, after consulting with the Administrator 
        of the Environmental Protection Agency, submit to Congress in 
        January of every odd-numbered year through 2015 a report on the 
        implementation of the requirements of this section.
            (2) Content.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        explain and assess the progress made toward reducing oil 
        consumption by automobiles as required by subsection (d).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2004, 
to remain available until expended, $2,000,000 to carry out this 
section.
                                 <all>