[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2534-S2535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 351. Ms. STABENOW (for herself and Mr. Thune) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2226, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle D of title XXXI, add the following:

     SEC. 31___. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY STUDY ON ESTABLISHING 
                   NATIONAL STRATEGIC PROPANE RESERVE.

       (a) Study.--

[[Page S2535]]

       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the Energy Information 
     Administration, shall complete a study to determine the 
     feasibility and effectiveness of establishing a national 
     strategic propane reserve, separate from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve established under part B of title I of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.).
       (2) Elements.--The study under paragraph (1) shall 
     include--
       (A) an assessment of the current state of the propane 
     supply chain in the United States to meet current and 
     forecasted consumer demands;
       (B) an assessment of the risks of regional propane supply 
     disruptions, including--
       (i) past causes of disruptions;
       (ii) possible causes of disruptions in the future; and
       (iii) whether disruptions justify the establishment of a 
     national strategic propane reserve;
       (C) an evaluation of--
       (i) appropriate and most suitable locations for a strategic 
     propane reserve;
       (ii) the quantity of propane storage that would be 
     appropriate at each such location; and
       (iii) the suitability of existing infrastructure to 
     facilitate transportation and delivery of propane from a 
     strategic propane reserve during a drawdown;
       (D) an evaluation of the additional infrastructure needed 
     for a strategic propane reserve to function properly;
       (E) consideration of the means by which a strategic propane 
     reserve would prevent and manage degradation of the propane 
     in storage;
       (F) an evaluation of appropriate triggers (including price 
     and supply) for making available propane from a strategic 
     reserve;
       (G) an evaluation of the appropriate manner of acquiring 
     propane and propane storage for a strategic reserve, while 
     minimizing market implications, including an assessment of--
       (i) unutilized and under-utilized storage; and
       (ii) new storage opportunities;
       (H) an evaluation of the appropriate transactions 
     (including direct sales, exchanges, or other options) for 
     delivering propane in a strategic reserve to the market when 
     a release is triggered;
       (I) an evaluation of likely consumers (including 
     individuals, agricultural producers, and the Armed Forces) of 
     propane from a strategic reserve, including--
       (i) identification and categorization of those consumers;
       (ii) a State-by-State breakdown of propane usage by those 
     consumers; and
       (iii) an evaluation of the expected impacts of a strategic 
     propane reserve on those categories of consumers and States;
       (J) an evaluation of the market implications of 
     establishing and administering a strategic propane reserve, 
     including an assessment of potential price and supply 
     effects; and
       (K) identification, preliminary assessment, and evaluation 
     of alternatives to a strategic propane reserve that could 
     provide supply and price relief during regional propane 
     supply disruptions.
       (3) Recommendations.--In conducting the study under this 
     subsection, the Secretary of Energy shall develop 
     recommendations with respect to each element of the study 
     described in paragraph (2) regarding--
       (A) whether a national strategic propane reserve should be 
     established; and
       (B) if such a reserve should be established, the most 
     practicable method of establishment.
       (b) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     completion of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     of Energy shall develop a plan for implementing the 
     recommendations developed under paragraph (3) of that 
     subsection.
       (c) Industry Coordination.--In conducting the study under 
     subsection (a) and developing the plan under subsection (b), 
     the Secretary of Energy is encouraged to coordinate with 
     entities in the propane industry, including representatives 
     from the entire propane supply chain.
       (d) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary of Energy shall 
     submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
     House of Representatives a report describing--
       (1) the study completed under subsection (a); and
       (2) the plan developed under subsection (b).
       (e) Protection of National Security Information.--Before 
     submitting the report under subsection (d), or otherwise 
     publishing the study completed under subsection (a) or the 
     plan developed under subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy 
     shall adopt such procedures with respect to confidentiality 
     (including procedures for redaction of information) as the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure the protection 
     of classified information relating to specific 
     vulnerabilities to United States energy security or 
     reliability.
                                 ______