[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5861-S5862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ADDRESSING THE ENERGY NEEDS OF U.S. INSULAR AREAS

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of H.R. 83, which was received from the 
House and is at the desk.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 83) to require the Secretary of the Interior 
     to assemble a team of technical, policy, and financial 
     experts to address the energy needs of the insular areas of 
     the United States and the Freely Associated States through 
     the development of energy action plans aimed at promoting 
     access to affordable, reliable energy, including increasing 
     use of indigenous clean-energy resources, and for other 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. PRYOR. I ask unanimous consent that a Murkowski substitute 
amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be 
read a third time and passed; and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 3928) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to 
as follows:


                           amendment no. 3928

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. STUDY OF ELECTRIC RATES IN THE INSULAR AREAS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Comprehensive energy plan.--The term ``comprehensive 
     energy plan'' means a comprehensive energy plan prepared and 
     updated under subsections (c) and (e) of section 604 of the 
     Act entitled ``An Act to authorize appropriations for certain 
     insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes'', 
     approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1492).
       (2) Energy action plan.--The term ``energy action plan'' 
     means the plan required by subsection (d).
       (3) Freely associated states.--The term ``Freely Associated 
     States'' means the Federated States of Micronesia, the 
     Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
       (4) Insular areas.--The term ``insular areas'' means 
     American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
       (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (6) Team.--The term ``team'' means the team established by 
     the Secretary under subsection (b).
       (b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act,

[[Page S5862]]

     the Secretary shall, within the Empowering Insular 
     Communities activity, establish a team of technical, policy, 
     and financial experts--
       (1) to develop an energy action plan addressing the energy 
     needs of each of the insular areas and Freely Associated 
     States; and
       (2) to assist each of the insular areas and Freely 
     Associated States in implementing such plan.
       (c) Participation of Regional Utility Organizations.--In 
     establishing the team, the Secretary shall consider including 
     regional utility organizations.
       (d) Energy Action Plan.--In accordance with subsection (b), 
     the energy action plan shall include--
       (1) recommendations, based on the comprehensive energy plan 
     where applicable, to--
       (A) reduce reliance and expenditures on fuel shipped to the 
     insular areas and Freely Associated States from ports outside 
     the United States;
       (B) develop and utilize domestic fuel energy sources; and
       (C) improve performance of energy infrastructure and 
     overall energy efficiency;
       (2) a schedule for implementation of such recommendations 
     and identification and prioritization of specific projects;
       (3) a financial and engineering plan for implementing and 
     sustaining projects; and
       (4) benchmarks for measuring progress toward 
     implementation.
       (e) Reports to Secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date on which the Secretary establishes the team and annually 
     thereafter, the team shall submit to the Secretary a report 
     detailing progress made in fulfilling its charge and in 
     implementing the energy action plan.
       (f) Annual Reports to Congress.--Not later than 30 days 
     after the date on which the Secretary receives a report 
     submitted by the team under subsection (e), the Secretary 
     shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     summary of the report of the team.
       (g) Approval of Secretary Required.--The energy action plan 
     shall not be implemented until the Secretary approves the 
     energy action plan.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSOLIDATED NATURAL RESOURCES ACT.

       Section 6 of Public Law 94-241 (90 Stat. 263; 122 Stat. 
     854) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``December 31, 2014, 
     except as provided in subsections (b) and (d)'' and inserting 
     ``December 31, 2019''; and
       (2) in subsection (d)--
       (A) in the third sentence of paragraph (2), by striking 
     ``not to extend beyond December 31, 2014, unless extended 
     pursuant to paragraph 5 of this subsection'' and inserting `` 
     `ending on December 31, 2019' '';
       (B) by striking paragraph (5); and
       (C) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5).

  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill (H.R. 83), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

                          ____________________