H. Res. 500 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
July 11, 2007. 
Whereas the United States currently is largely self-sufficient 
in natural gas but is projected to greatly increase its 
usage over time, which could create a growing depend-
ence on world supply; 
Whereas the cost of natural gas has approximately tripled 
since 2000 and has had a significant negative impact on 
United States manufacturers and on employment in man-
ufacturing; 
Whereas in 2004 alone the rising cost of natural gas was re-
sponsible for the closure of scores of chemical companies 
in the United States and the loss of over 100,000 jobs; 
Whereas chemicals, plastics, and advanced composite mate-
rials are used extensively for military and commercial ap-
plications and are crucial components of the United 
States defense industrial base, which is the foundation of 
United States national security; 
Whereas Europe, as well as Japan, South Korea, and other 
United States allies, are heavily dependent on imported 
natural gas, and countries such as China and India are 
rapidly increasing their reliance on foreign suppliers;
•HRES 500 EH 
Whereas the supply of natural gas is controlled by a relatively 
small number of countries, including Iran, Russia, Ven-
ezuela, Bolivia, Algeria, and Qatar, among others; 
Whereas these and other countries have established an orga-
nization known as the Gas Exporting Countries Forum 
(GECF) to promote coordination on policies regarding 
natural gas; 
Whereas the members of the GECF are estimated to possess 
over 70 percent of global gas reserves and over 40 per-
cent of global production; 
Whereas several of these countries have governments hostile 
to the United States; 
Whereas on January 29, 2007, Iranian Supreme Leader Aya-
tollah Khamenei proposed that Russia and Iran cooperate 
to establish a cartel for natural gas, which has been 
termed a ‘‘gas OPEC’’; 
Whereas Russian President Putin has expressed great inter-
est in the formation of a cartel of this type; 
Whereas Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has declared his 
strong support for the proposed cartel and described it as 
an expansion of his efforts to establish a similar cartel 
in the Western Hemisphere; 
Whereas Iranian officials have made clear their interest in 
using this ‘‘gas OPEC’’ as an instrument for political 
purposes; 
Whereas Russia has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness 
to use its role as supplier of oil and gas to exert political 
pressure on other countries, such as Georgia, Ukraine, 
and Belarus, among others;
•HRES 500 EH 
Whereas Europe currently relies on Russia for almost half of 
its imports of natural gas and is likely to increase its de-
pendence on this source over the next decade; 
Whereas North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials have 
warned of the danger of Europe’s increasing dependence 
on Russian energy and of the prospect of alternative sup-
pliers, such as Algeria, cooperating with Russia; 
Whereas at the GECF meeting in Doha on April 9, 2007, of 
senior officials from Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Al-
geria, Qatar, and other countries, an agreement was 
reached to establish a committee chaired by the Russian 
Government to study proposals for greater coordination 
of policies, including pricing, that participants stated 
would be necessary for the creation of a cartel; and 
Whereas the creation of an international cartel for natural 
gas similar to that of the Organization of Petroleum Ex-
porting Countries (OPEC) would pose a major threat to 
the price and supply of energy, to the economy of the 
Unites States and of the world, and to their security: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Represent-
atives that— 
(1) the United States should make clear to the gov-
ernments of major natural gas exporting countries that 
it regards efforts to establish a cartel or other mecha-
nism to manipulate the supply of natural gas to the 
world market for the purpose of setting an arbitrary and 
nonmarket price, or as an instrument of political pres-
•HRES 500 EH 
sure, to be prejudicial to the security of the United 
States and of the world as a whole; 
(2) the United States should develop a joint strat-
egy with its allies and all countries that are importers 
of natural gas, as well as with cooperative exporting 
countries, to prevent the establishment of a cartel or 
other mechanism of this type, including by diversifying 
sources and alternative means of access by exporters and 
importers to international markets, such as by pipeline; 
and 
(3) in order to mitigate potential economic and 
other threats to our security, the United States should 
work with our allies to reduce our dependence on natural 
gas and to increase and promote the utilization of clean 
energy sources. 
Attest: 
Clerk.