I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8766 
To require the Secretary of Energy to conduct studies relating to Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve levels, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act with respect to such Reserve, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 
Mr. CHABOT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Oversight and 
Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Energy to conduct studies relat-
ing to Strategic Petroleum Reserve levels, to amend the 
Energy Policy and Conservation Act with respect to such 
Reserve, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Reserving Energy For 
Independence and Empowerment Act’’ or the ‘‘REFINE 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was cre-
ated through the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.) to address ‘‘severe en-
ergy supply interruptions’’ and provided the execu-
tive branch authority to draw down these reserves 
provided that specific conditions are met. 
(2) According to the U.S. Energy Information 
Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2022, pe-
troleum and natural gas will remain the most-con-
sumed sources of energy in the United States 
through 2050. 
(3) As of August 19, 2022, the Strategic Petro-
leum Reserve fell to 453.1 million barrels, from a 
maximum capacity of 714 million barrels, which is 
the lowest level since 1985. 
(4) Emergency sales in 2022 from the Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve were purchased by Unipec, a 
subsidiary of Chinese oil giant Sinopec, and deliv-
ered to the People’s Republic of China, the principle 
strategic competitor to the United States. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) continuing to limit energy production in the 
United States will only provide further leverage and 
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funding for our adversaries and continue to weaken 
global security; and 
(2) the energy independence of the United 
States is critical to national security and should in-
clude the production of all available energy sources, 
including coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear, and renew-
ables, as well as strategic minerals critical to electric 
vehicles and other clean energy sources. 
SEC. 3. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE LEVELS AND 
EMERGENCY SALES. 
(a) STUDIES AND ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Energy shall submit to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate a report containing— 
(A) the results of a study of metrics that 
may be used for determining the adequacy of 
the amounts of petroleum products stored in 
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to support 
United States energy security objectives, taking 
into consideration gross crude oil imports, net 
crude oil imports, and refining capacity and uti-
lization, and a determination of which such 
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metrics are the most appropriate for such pur-
pose; 
(B) the results of a study and analysis of 
domestic crude oil refining capacity (including 
technical configuration of refineries, down-
stream charge capacity, and atmospheric crude 
distillation units) and issues relating to aging 
infrastructure that would inhibit the ability to 
meet production demand, and any recommenda-
tions for improvements; and 
(C) an assessment of acquisition proce-
dures and identification of any provisions of 
Federal law or regulation that either limit or 
prohibit accelerated replenishment of the Stra-
tegic Petroleum Reserve necessary to maintain 
and support United States energy security ob-
jectives. 
(2) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
contain a classified annex. 
(b) PROHIBITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Energy Policy and Con-
servation Act is amended by inserting after section 
163 (42 U.S.C. 6243) the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 164. PROHIBITION ON EXPORTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 101(b) 
of division O of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 
(42 U.S.C. 6212a(b)), the Secretary shall issue regula-
tions prohibiting the export of petroleum products drawn 
down and sold from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to— 
‘‘(1) any country that is— 
‘‘(A) subject to a United States arms em-
bargo, as specified in list D:5 of Country Group 
D in Supplement No. 1 to part 740 of title 15, 
Code of Federal Regulations; or 
‘‘(B) a state sponsor of terrorism; and 
‘‘(2) any entity that is wholly or partially owned 
by the People’s Republic of China. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘state 
sponsor of terrorism’ means a country the government of 
which has repeatedly provided support for international 
terrorism pursuant to— 
‘‘(1) section 1754(c)(1)(A) of the Export Con-
trol Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)(1)(A)); 
‘‘(2) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371); 
‘‘(3) section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act 
(22 U.S.C. 2780); or 
‘‘(4) any other applicable provision of law.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
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(A) DRAWDOWN AND SALE OF PETROLEUM 
PRODUCTS.—Section 161(a) of the Energy Pol-
icy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6241(a)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘and section 164’’ be-
fore the period at the end. 
(B) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents for the Energy Policy and Conserva-
tion Act is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 163 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 164. Prohibition on exports.’’. 
SEC. 4. DOMESTIC PRODUCTION RESPONSE PLAN. 
Section 161 of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6241) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(k) PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except in the case of a se-
vere energy supply interruption described in sub-
section (d), the Secretary may not execute the first 
drawdown of petroleum products in the Reserve 
after the date of enactment of this subsection, 
whether through sale, exchange, or loan, until the 
Secretary has developed a plan to increase the per-
centage of Federal land (including submerged land 
of the outer Continental Shelf) under the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
Energy, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Sec-
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retary of Defense leased for oil and gas production 
by the same percentage as the percentage of petro-
leum in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve that is to 
be drawn down in that first drawdown and subse-
quent drawdowns. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall pre-
pare the plan under paragraph (1) in consultation 
with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
the Interior, and the Secretary of Defense.’’. 
SEC. 5. EXECUTIVE AND AGENCY ACTION. 
On the date of enactment of this Act, the President 
shall— 
(1) rescind Executive Order 13990 (86 Fed. 
Reg. 7037; relating to protecting public health and 
the environment and restoring science to tackle the 
climate crisis); and 
(2) direct each Federal agency (including the 
Council on Environmental Quality) to, not later than 
120 days after the date of enactment of this Act— 
(A) identify and repeal any regulation pro-
mulgated by the Federal agency that has the 
intent or effect of substantially reducing the en-
ergy independence of the United States; and 
(B) issues regulations and guidance to— 
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(i) reduce the regulatory burden for 
energy producers in the United States; and 
(ii) increase the energy output by 
those producers. 
Æ 
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