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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 137

To express the sense of Congress that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should refrain from further processing restructuring proceedings

pursuant to Order No. 636 until 60 days after the submission to Congress of the General Accounting Office’s study of the economic impacts

of the order on residential, commercial, and other end-users of natural

gas, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 9, 1993

Mr. COOPER (for himself, Mr. TANNER, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr.

MCCLOSKEY, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. STUDDS, Mr.

FINGERHUT, and Ms. KAPTUR) introduced the following joint resolution;

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

JOINT RESOLUTION

To express the sense of Congress that the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission should refrain from further processing restructuring proceedings pursuant to Order No.

636 until 60 days after the submission to Congress of

the General Accounting Office’s study of the economic

impacts of the order on residential, commercial, and

other end-users of natural gas, and for other purposes.
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Whereas Congress has declared that a purpose of the Department of Energy is to promote the continued good health

of the Nation’s small business firms, public utility districts, municipal utilities, and private cooperatives;

Whereas residential and commercial consumers, hospitals,

schools, and others that have been identified by Congress

as high-priority users of natural gas depend on an affordable and reliable supply of natural gas;

Whereas the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on April

8, 1992, adopted new regulations in Order No. 636;

Whereas Order No. 636 forces significant changes in the

structure of the various components of the natural gas

industry that will significantly increase the cost of natural gas and have other adverse effects on residential,

commercial, and other high-priority users;

Whereas Order No. 636 will make residential, commercial,

and other high-priority users pay all fixed costs of the

national pipeline system, instead of only their reasonable

share;

Whereas residential consumers will not be benefited by the

cost increases, but are forced by the order to pay all

transition costs created by the industry restructuring;

Whereas the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has

failed to conduct an analysis of the economic impact of

Order No. 636 on the various classes of natural gas endusers, including higher fixed costs, higher wellhead costs,

and new transition costs; and

Whereas the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has not

conducted an analysis of the economic impact of Order

No. 636 on the various geographic regions of the country,
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and is moving with undue haste to implement Order No.

636: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 That it is the sense of Congress that the Federal Energy

4 Regulatory Commission should refrain from further proc5 essing restructuring proceedings pursuant to Order No.

6 636 until 60 days after the submission to Congress of the

7 study of the General Accounting Office of the economic

8 impacts of the order on residential, commercial, and other

9 end-users of natural gas.

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