[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.

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