[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 149 (Tuesday, December 9, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H8891-H8892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         PROPANE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2014

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5705) to modify certain provisions relating to the Propane 
Education and Research Council.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5705

       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 ``Propane Education and 
     Research Enhancement Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE PROPANE EDUCATION AND 
                   RESEARCH COUNCIL.

       (a) Functions of Propane Education and Research Council.--
     Section 5(f) of the Propane Education and Research Act of 
     1996 (15 U.S.C. 6404(f)) is amended in the first sentence by 
     inserting ``to train propane distributors and consumers in 
     strategies to mitigate negative effects of future propane 
     price spikes,'' after ``to enhance consumer and employee 
     safety and training,''.
       (b) Market Survey and Consumer Protection Price Analysis.--
     Section 9(a) of the Propane Education and Research Act of 
     1996 (15 U.S.C. 6408(a)) is amended in the first sentence by 
     striking ``only data provided by the Energy Information 
     Administration'' and inserting ``the refiner price to end 
     users of consumer grade propane, as published by the Energy 
     Information Administration''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Latta) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5705, the Propane 
Education and Research Enhancement Act of 2014, which I introduced 
along with Congressman Walz. This important, bipartisan legislation 
directs the U.S. Department of Commerce to more accurately calculate 
consumer propane costs. It also enables the propane industry to use its 
resources to mitigate price spikes.
  Last winter in my home State of Ohio, as well as across 26 other 
States across the country, the lives and livelihoods of many Americans 
were threatened due to the propane shortages that were being 
experienced. Access to heat is a requirement for survival and 
employment, and we want to make sure that Americans do not face the 
same hardships again this winter or in future winters.
  This bill would take the necessary steps to allow the propane 
industry to adequately address propane supply in pricing issues so 
consumers are not negatively impacted this coming winter.

                              {time}  1415

  In 1996, Congress enacted the Propane Education and Research Act, 
PERA, authorizing the propane to collect and use its own resources for 
safety, training, research and development, and education for the 
benefit of propane consumers and the public. The law also established 
the Propane Education and Research Council, PERC, to accomplish these 
goals.
  To prevent this program from creating a disproportionate demand for 
propane, the Department of Commerce is required to annually calculate 
the price for consumer grade propane and compare it with an index of 
prices of specified competing fuels. If the price of propane exceeds a 
certain threshold, PERC is restricted from conducting its educational 
outreach activities.
  In 2009, due to a misinterpretation of the law by the Department of 
Commerce, the restriction was triggered and all educational outreach by 
PERC ceased. While the Department of Commerce believes Congress 
intended PERA to focus only on residential-only propane, the text of 
the law does not limit it to the residential market.
  To correct this discrepancy, the Propane Education and Research 
Enhancement Act of 2014 would clarify the language in the law to 
require the Department of Commerce to use the proper data and bring the 
application of the law back in line with Congress' intent. It would 
also amend the existing functions of PERC to include training 
distributors and consumers in strategies to mitigate the negative 
effects of propane price spikes.
  Over the past year, I have been working on this legislation with 
stakeholders and with Congressman Walz to help mitigate having another 
propane shortage. This legislation is an important step in helping to 
achieve this, and I urge full support by my colleagues for H.R. 5705.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz), the sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, and a 
special thank you to my friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).
  This is a commonsense piece of legislation, but I think it is 
important to note, for many of us, and my colleague mentioned, last 
year when the propane shortage came, folks can prepare--and we 
understand out in Ohio and Minnesota with our harsh winters that you 
prepare for these things--but the situation with propane came so 
quickly and so fast that the imposition that it made in some cases 
could have become life threatening, where propane tanks were running 
empty and families were counting on it to heat their homes. We have a 
lot of agricultural uses in drying our row crops where it is critically 
important, and I think it is important to note that at that time the 
gentleman from Ohio stood up and became a national leader on this issue 
and I think helped not only alleviate at the time but start doing 
things like this looking to the future.
  This is what we should be doing. This is smart, making sure that our 
markets work correctly and making sure that the intent of Congress is 
followed and making sure that our consumers are well served. I thank 
you for that. I think this is exactly what our constituents expect. I 
know there are a lot of folks in southern Minnesota who have benefited 
from this.
  This is a fairly simple fix. It comes from a misinterpretation. But I 
think the point that the gentleman has brought up that is critically 
important, markets are starting to function. We are seeing this, but 
this is an education piece. I think when we educate the public right on 
this, and you heard some of the implications of that, by not doing 
that, when they stopped all education on this, the propane shortage of 
last winter came quickly. It

[[Page H8892]]

came fast, and it had immediate repercussions.
  I would say once we correct this deficiency, amend it, it will make a 
difference. It will enable the propane industry to use its resources to 
mitigate price spikes, and it will more accurately let consumers know 
what the price of propane is.
  So I think this is a fairly simple fix. But nothing is simple in 
Congress, as we know, and nothing is simple when you are dealing with a 
complex commodity such as propane. But I do think that as we move into 
this winter, knocking on wood is one thing, but leadership like the 
gentleman from Ohio has shown is also helping us.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense piece of 
legislation and move this forward. Again, this is what we are sent here 
to do, to try to make things a little bit better and make sure our 
markets function correctly and make sure our constituents are being 
educated correctly.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers on the bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5705, the 
Propane Education and Research Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 5705, the Propane Education 
and Research Enhancement Act.
  Today, tens of millions of Americans rely on propane and heating oil.
  Propane and propane accessories are used in everyday life from 
cooking to commercial agricultural uses are vital to farmers in the 
Midwest that use propane to dry corn and feed the world.
  Heating oil is used throughout the Northeast to heat homes and water 
during the long New England winter.
  Personally, in years past, I've relied on propane when I didn't have 
access to the vast network of pipelines that supply natural gas.
  Unfortunately, like many important commodities, unless you've run out 
of propane or heating oil, most people probably don't know or 
understand the vast importance of this product.
  In the early 2000s, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed 
legislation that authorized the Propane Education and Research Council 
and the National Oilheat Research Alliance.
  These two national entities implement consumer education, research 
and development, and safety and training programs related to the use of 
propane and heating oil.
  While PERC and NORA are federally-authorized, these two organizations 
cost the federal government absolutely nothing.
  But they play an important role in the communities they serve.
  H.R. 5705 amends the Propane Education and Research Act of 1996, the 
original legislation, and expands the ability of PERC to educate 
distributors and consumers in strategies to deal with future propane 
price spikes.
  Last winter, the United States faced a propane emergency.
  The industry has stepped up to ensure that we don't face another 
crisis like that.
  But we always need to be prepared and armed with knowledge of how to 
better deal with any situation.
  With preparation legislation like H.R. 5705, we can assist Americans, 
all over the country, by sharing the best information possible.
  I lend my support to H.R. 5705 and I am pleased my colleagues do the 
same.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Again, as the gentleman from Minnesota pointed out, we had a great 
shortage last winter that affected small family farms and large farms 
across the country. We had situations where businesses were being 
affected and having to shut down. So this is a very important bill that 
will help folks make sure that hopefully we don't have that situation 
occur again.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5705.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5705.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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