[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS TO CARRY OUT PART B OF TITLE I OF ENERGY
POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT RELATING TO STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
Mr. BASS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 724) to authorize appropriations to carry out part B of
title I of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, relating to the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 724
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE.
Section 166 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42
U.S.C. 6246) is amended--
(1) by striking ``for fiscal year 2000''; and
(2) by striking ``, to remain available only through March
31, 2000''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Hampshire (Mr. Bass) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass).
General Leave
Mr. BASS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include therein extraneous material on H.R. 724.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Hampshire?
There was no objection.
Mr. BASS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 724 makes a technical correction to the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act that is necessary for Congress to authorize
future appropriations for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It contains
a date correction that was incorrectly referenced when EPCA was
reauthorized during the 106th Congress. In the last EPCA
reauthorization, Congress instructed the Department of Energy to
continue operating the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through September
30, 2003. However, we failed to make a conforming date change to a
related section of the act. This was a technical error and H.R. 724
corrects this situation.
EPCA authorizes the Department of Energy to operate the Strategic
Petroleum Reserve. The SPR contains approximately 541 million barrels
of oil stored along the Gulf Coast. It costs about $165 million a year
to operate the Reserve. As a practical matter, last year's Interior
appropriations bill appropriated funds to operate the SPR through
fiscal year 2001. Given that more than half of our demand for oil is
met through imports, the importance of a Strategic Petroleum Reserve to
protect against supply disruptions is now greater than ever. The
majority of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve was reauthorized through
fiscal year 2003 during the 106th Congress.
Section 166 of EPCA provides authorization for, quote, such sums as
may be necessary, end of quote, to be appropriated for operation of the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Due to a technical error in the most
recent EPCA reauthorization, section 166 provides authorization for
appropriations only through March 31, 2000, the end of last year. In
contrast, section 191 of EPCA provides the authority for the Department
of Energy to operate the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through September
30, 2003.
H.R. 724 will eliminate the March 31, 2000 limitation on
appropriations for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, allowing future
appropriations for the reserve. With this change and pursuant to
section 191 of EPCA, the Reserve would not have to be reauthorized
again until September 30, 2003.
The correction in H.R. 724 also simplifies future reauthorizations of
EPCA by placing the effective date in one section, that is section 191,
as opposed to two sections. Maintaining a strong Strategic Petroleum
Reserve is an important part of our Nation's energy security. I urge my
colleagues to support H.R. 724 since it is a necessary technical
correction to ensure the continued authorization of the Strategic
Petroleum Reserve.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOUCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. BOUCHER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BOUCHER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of
H.R. 724, a bill that makes a needed technical correction to H.R. 2884,
legislation which Congress enacted last year to reauthorize the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act. It is particularly important that EPCA be
extended at this point because it provides for the operation of the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a frontline protection against an
interruption in our Nation's energy supplies.
H.R. 724 ensures that the authorization for appropriations for the
SPR is extended through September 2003. This measure conforms with the
extension of the Department of Energy's authority to operate the SPR
made by last year's legislation, and in so doing corrects a drafting
oversight.
I am pleased to support the passage of H.R. 724 and urge its approval
by the House.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. BASS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 724.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. BASS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________