I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4043 
To provide for a report from the National Academy of Sciences on the 
feasibility and design of a national strategic gasoline reserve. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 7, 2005 
Mr. ISSA (for himself, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mrs. BONO, and Mr. 
DOOLITTLE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for a report from the National Academy of 
Sciences on the feasibility and design of a national stra-
tegic gasoline reserve. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gasoline Assurance 
and Security Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 heavily 
damaged domestic petroleum infrastructure critical 
to the United States economy. 
(2) Releases from the Strategic Petroleum Re-
serve have been effective in mitigating supply shocks 
of crude oil but have highlighted deficiencies in pe-
troleum refining capacity. 
(3) The average pump price for September 6, 
2005, was $3.07 per gallon, up $0.46 per gallon 
from the previous week—a record weekly increase. 
(4) In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane 
Katrina, waivers of Clean Air Act requirements by 
the Environmental Protection Agency were necessary 
to bring gasoline to market. 
(5) In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, to help 
meet demand and mitigate potentially disastrous 
economic effects, the United States had to rely on 
imports of gasoline from strategic gasoline reserves 
in Europe. 
(6) Annual growth of domestic demand for gas-
oline outstrips increases in United States refining 
capacity by 0.5 to 1.0 percent per year. 
(7) Imports of gasoline have increased 195 per-
cent since 1995, with 12 percent of United States
gasoline demand met by imports in the summer of 
2005. 
(8) In times of crisis, the speed at which for-
eign supplies can be provided to meet a shortfall in 
domestic refining production and the delivered price 
of imported supplies are of grave concern. 
(9) No new domestic refineries are under con-
struction, and the tremendous requirements for cap-
ital investment, construction, and engineering design 
cause lead-times of up to 5 years for completion of 
a new refinery. 
(10) It is necessary to find solutions for inad-
equate supply of refined petroleum products during 
the aftermath of an Act of God or national emer-
gency. 
SEC. 3. STUDY BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
The Secretary of Energy shall request the National 
Academy of Sciences to— 
(1) conduct a study to— 
(A) determine what Federal action would 
be necessary to improve the reserve supply of 
gasoline in situations of severe gasoline supply 
interruption;
(B) determine the configuration and feasi-
bility of a Federal strategic national reserve for 
gasoline taking into account— 
(i) the needs of different regions of 
the country; 
(ii) the likelihood that Clean Air Act 
waivers similar to those described in sec-
tion 2(4) would be issued with the release 
of gasoline from such a reserve; and 
(iii) how such a reserve may affect the 
design and management of the Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve; and 
(C) assess physical storage options on a 
scale appropriate for a national reserve for gas-
oline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, and natural gas, spe-
cifically comparing the storage options for these 
fuels to that of crude oil in the Strategic Petro-
leum Reserve; and 
(2) not later than 60 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, submit to Congress a report on 
the results of the study. 
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