[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
       ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT AMENDMENTS ACT OF 1994

  Mr. SHARP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 2466) to amend the Energy Policy 
and Conservation Act to manage the Strategic Petroleum Reserve more 
effectively, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  Mr. MOORHEAD. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I shall 
not object, I take this reservation for the purpose of asking the 
gentleman from Indiana, [Mr. Sharp] to explain the bill, and I yield to 
the gentleman for that purpose.
  Mr. SHARP. Mr. Speaker, this is a simple extension of the existing 
authority with respect to the U.S. Government's ability to use the 
Strategic Petroleum Reserve to protect our economy in the time of an 
emergency crisis, and also to participate in the International Energy 
Agency. All parties, political and otherwise, fully agree that we 
should get this done, and the news today about Iraq makes it all the 
more imperative that we not let this authority lapse at this time.
  So we make no changes in the existing law, even though we worked and 
hoped to make the changes. This gives an 18-month extension of the 
current authority.
  Mr. MOORHEAD. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
support this bill, which reauthorizes certain programs under the Energy 
Policy and Conservation Act. These programs provide the authorization 
to operate, maintain and drawdown the strategic petroleum reserve and 
for the U.S. to participate in the international energy agreement.
  These programs expired on September 30th of this year. Significantly, 
if the strategic petroleum reserve authorization is not renewed, the 
President will lack the authority to draw down the strategic petroleum 
reserve in the event of an energy emergency. It would be irresponsible 
for us to adjourn without reauthorizing this program.
  Thus, Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill and I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Indiana, who is now retiring from 
Congress, has worked very hard in this particular field to fill the 
petroleum reserve and many other things concerning energy over the last 
number of years. We have had an opportunity to work close together on a 
lot of energy issues, and I think we have a lot of bills out that will 
do a lot of good for the country.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

                                S. 2466

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this 
     Act may be cited as the ``Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
     Amendments Act of 1994''.

                TITLE I--ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Energy Policy and 
     Conservation Act Amendments of 1994''.

     SEC. 102. TITLE I AMENDMENTS.

       Part D of title I of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
     is amended in section 181 (42 U.S.C. 6251), by striking 
     ``September 30, 1994'' each time it appears and inserting 
     ``June 30, 1996''.

     SEC. 103. TITLE D AMENDMENTS.

       Part D of title II of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
     Act is amended in section 281 (42 U.S.C. 6285), by striking 
     ``September 30, 1994'' each time it appears and inserting 
     ``June 30, 1996''.

  The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the 
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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