IV
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 379
Providing that certain actions should be taken with respect to the actions
of OPEC and other oil-exporting countries, and with respect to decreas-
ing the dependency of the United States on foreign sources of oil.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 9, 2002
Mr. GEKAS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
Providing that certain actions should be taken with respect
to the actions of OPEC and other oil-exporting countries,
and with respect to decreasing the dependency of the
United States on foreign sources of oil.
Whereas the 11 members of the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) account for 40 percent of
world production and 77 percent of the world’s proven oil
reserves, and close alliances with other oil-exporting
countries that are not members of OPEC have increased
OPEC’s market power;
Whereas OPEC actively sought out commitments of export
reductions by those other oil-exporting countries begin-
•HRES 379 IH
ning in November of 2001 in an effort to raise the world
price of oil;
Whereas OPEC made as a condition of cutting its exports by
1,500,000 barrels per day, the pledges to reduce exports
by nearly 500,000 barrels per day that were made by the
non-OPEC countries of Mexico, Norway, Oman, Angola,
and Russia;
Whereas the total pledged reductions of 2,000,000 barrels
per day by OPEC and non-OPEC countries threatened
United States consumers and businesses with the pros-
pect of higher energy costs at precisely the time the Na-
tion struggled to deal with the economic ramifications of
the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas on March 15, 2001, despite evidence of increased
demand, OPEC announced that it would continue to re-
strict oil output at its current level;
Whereas as a direct result of that announcement, gasoline
prices to consumers surged by nearly 15 cents per gallon
across the United States between March 8, 2002, and
March 22, 2002, the largest 2-week price-per-gallon in-
crease in nearly 50 years;
Whereas the dependence of the United States on foreign
sources of oil, in a market dominated by OPEC, has cost
the United States economy several trillion dollars since
1973, as a result of shocks from steep increases in oil
prices and of oil payments well in excess of prices that
would prevail in a relatively free market; and
Whereas a comprehensive national energy policy would pro-
vide the United States with a plan to become more en-
ergy self-sufficient and less dependent on the OPEC oil
cartel: Now, therefore, be it
•HRES 379 IH
Resolved, That—
(1) the President should express to the oil ex-
porting countries that are not members of the Orga-
nization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC),
such as the Republic of Mexico, that decisions to re-
strict crude oil supply in the world market, in ac-
cordance with requests made by the OPEC cartel,
adversely affect the national security of the United
States and the world economy;
(2) the President should encourage the allies of
the United States in the Persian Gulf region, includ-
ing Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United
Arab Emirates, who are members of the OPEC car-
tel, to reconsider their December 28, 2001, an-
nouncement to reduce output and their March 15,
2002, announcement to hold the cartel’s crude oil
output at current levels despite indications of in-
creased demand in the United States and abroad;
(3) the President should encourage the oil ex-
porting countries allied to the United States, includ-
ing non-OPEC states such as Mexico and Norway,
and OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar,
and the United Arab Emirates, to increase oil pro-
duction and exports to the United States to offset
•HRES 379 IH
any shortfall in exports resulting from Iraq’s boycott
of oil shipments; and
(4) the United States Senate should act to pass
legislation, such as H.R. 4 that passed in the United
States House of Representatives, instituting a com-
prehensive national energy policy that would bolster
the national security of the United States by reduc-
ing dependence on foreign sources of energy, thereby
resulting in lower prices for consumers in the United
States.
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