[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1231 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1231

 To require congressional notification for certain Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve operations and to determine options available for the continued 
             operation of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 6, 2015

 Ms. Murkowski introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require congressional notification for certain Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve operations and to determine options available for the continued 
             operation of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

    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 ``Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
Modernization Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE TEST DRAWDOWN AND SALE 
              NOTIFICATION.

    Section 161(g) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6241(g)) is amended by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the 
following:
            ``(8) Notice to congress.--
                    ``(A) Prior notice.--Not less than 30 days before 
                the date on which a test is carried out under this 
                subsection, the Secretary shall notify both Houses of 
                Congress of the test.
                    ``(B) Detailed description.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than 180 days 
                        after the date on which a test is completed 
                        under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
                        submit to both Houses of Congress a detailed 
                        description of the test.
                            ``(ii) Report.--A detailed description 
                        submitted under clause (i) may be included as 
                        part of a report made to the President and 
                        Congress under section 165.''.

SEC. 3. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE STUDY.

    (a) Study.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Energy (referred to in this Act as the 
``Secretary'') shall conduct a study that--
            (1) evaluates the international obligations that gave rise 
        to the establishment and maintenance of the Strategic Petroleum 
        Reserve established under part B of title I of the Energy 
        Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.);
            (2) analyzes changes that have occurred in energy security 
        infrastructure since the establishment of the Strategic 
        Petroleum Reserve, including changes in the distribution 
        infrastructure and the integrity of the salt caverns associated 
        with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve;
            (3) estimates the costs of completing deferred maintenance 
        for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve;
            (4) estimates the costs of life extension spending that is 
        required for Strategic Petroleum Reserve infrastructure that is 
        nearing the end of the design life of the infrastructure; and
            (5) evaluates the size of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
        as of the date of the study, based on current and projected 
        supply and demand for oil.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report that describes--
            (1) the results of the study under subsection (a);
            (2) the costs associated with maintaining the Strategic 
        Petroleum Reserve;
            (3) the costs associated with extending the operating life 
        of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; and
            (4) cost-effective options for, alternatives to, or 
        structural modifications of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
        that would adhere to, and account for, the international 
        obligations evaluated under subsection (a)(1).
                                 <all>