SAFER Act of 2023

To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Secretary of Energy to stipulate, as a condition on the sale at auction of any petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, that the petroleum products not be exported to certain countries, to prohibit such sales to certain state-owned entities, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secure Auction For Energy Reserves Act of 2023 SAFER Act of 2023 2. Prohibition on export of Strategic Petroleum Reserve petroleum products to certain countries and sales to certain state-owned entities Section 161(i) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6241(i) (1) by striking (i) Notwithstanding any other law (i) Refine or exchange outside the United States (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (2) Prohibition on export of Strategic Petroleum Reserve petroleum products to certain countries Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect to the drawdown and sale at auction of any petroleum products from the Reserve under this section after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall require, as a condition of the sale, that the petroleum products not be exported to a country that is designated as a country of particular concern for religious freedom under clause (ii) of section 402(b)(1)(A) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6442(b)(1)(A) (3) Requirements applicable to certain state-owned entities Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect to the drawdown and sale at auction of any petroleum products from the Reserve under this section after the date of enactment of this paragraph, if the Secretary determines that, as of the date of the auction, there is in effect a United States ban on, or the imposition of sanctions by the United States with respect to, the purchase of crude oil from 1 or more countries— (A) to be eligible to bid in the auction, a state-owned entity shall submit to the Secretary a certification that the state-owned entity has not purchased petroleum products from any country subject to such a ban or sanctions later than 15 days after the date on which the ban or sanctions went into effect; and (B) if the Secretary determines that a state-owned entity participating in the auction has purchased crude oil from a country subject to such a ban or sanctions later than 15 days after the date on which the ban or sanctions went into effect, the Secretary shall not sell petroleum products from the Reserve to the state-owned entity under the auction. .

Summary: Secure Auction For Energy Reserves Act of 2023 or the SAFER Act of 2023 This bill limits the sale and exportation of petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to require, as a condition of auction sales, that the petroleum products not be exported to countries that are designated as countries of particular concern for religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. In addition, the bill establishes limits on auction sales of petroleum products from the SPR to state-owned entities if DOE determines that, as of the dates of the auctions, there are bans on, or the imposition of sanctions by the United States with respect to, the purchase of crude oil from countries. Under such circumstances, state-owned entities must certify that they have not purchased petroleum products from countries subject to such bans or sanctions later than 15 days after the date on which the ban or sanctions went into effect in order to be able to bid in auctions. If DOE determines state-owned entities participating in the auctions have purchased crude oil from such countries after that time period, then DOE may not sell petroleum products from the SPR to such entities.