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106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5191

To provide for the convening of a White House Conference on United States

Energy Policy to develop a national energy policy.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 14, 2000

Mr. WEYGAND introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To provide for the convening of a White House Conference

on United States Energy Policy to develop a national

energy policy.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘White House Con5 ference on United States Energy Policy Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. CONFERENCE.

7 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President shall convene a

8 White House Conference on United States Energy Policy

9 in order to develop a national energy policy for the United
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1 States. Such Conference shall take place within 90 days

2 after the date of the enactment of this Act.

3 (b) PLANNING AND DIRECTION.—The Conference

4 shall be planned and conducted under the direction of the

5 Secretary and the Administrator, in cooperation with the

6 heads of such other Federal agencies as are appropriate.

7 (c) PURPOSE.—The primary purpose of the Con8 ference shall be to develop and recommend a national en9 ergy policy for the United States. As part of that effort,

10 the Conference shall—

11 (1) examine the need for, and make rec12 ommendations for strategies for promoting, energy

13 conservation;

14 (2) make recommendations for how best to pro15 mote the development of sources of energy other

16 than fossil fuels, including defining the appropriate

17 Federal role in such development;

18 (3) assess the appropriate role of fossil fuels in

19 United States energy policy, including an assessment

20 of the efficiency and environmental effects of the use

21 of fossil fuels;

22 (4) examine the effects on energy supply and

23 pricing of regulation, anticompetitive factors, inven24 tory taxes, and ongoing mergers of energy compa25 nies; and
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1 (5) identify crucial issues in the development of

2 a national energy policy.

3 (d) PARTICIPANTS.—The President shall invite to the

4 Conference appropriate representatives of—

5 (1) Federal, State, and local government policy6 makers;

7 (2) industry, including producers, manufactur8 ers, and wholesale and retail providers of energy and

9 energy products, and including alternative energy

10 producers, manufacturers, and providers;

11 (3) consumers;

12 (4) scientists;

13 (5) environmentalists;

14 (6) regulators; and

15 (7) any other group the President considers ap16 propriate.

17 The President shall invite participants without regard to

18 political affiliation or past partisan activity, and shall en19 sure that participation in the Conference is representative

20 of a broad spectrum of expertise and opinions.

21 SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION.

22 In administering the Conference, the Secretary and

23 the Administrator shall—
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1 (1) request the cooperation and assistance of

2 the heads of such other Federal agencies as may be

3 appropriate;

4 (2) prepare and make available in the Federal

5 Register for public comment a proposed agenda for

6 the Conference not later than 30 days after the date

7 of the enactment of this Act;

8 (3) provide promptly any relevant information

9 requested by the participants of the Conference; and

10 (4) ensure that the recommendations of the

11 Conference are not inappropriately influenced by any

12 authority or special interest.

13 SEC. 4. REPORT.

14 Not later than 90 days after the close of the Con15 ference, the Secretary and the Administrator shall trans16 mit to the Congress a report containing the findings and

17 recommendations of the Conference, including rec18 ommendations for administrative actions and legislation

19 necessary to implement the recommendations of the Con20 ference.

21 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

22 In this Act—

23 (1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad24 ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
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1 (2) the term ‘‘Conference’’ means the White

2 House Conference on United States Energy Policy;

3 and

4 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

5 of Energy.

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