I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1985 
To amend the National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 to reauthorize 
and improve that Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 15, 2013 
Mr. LANCE (for himself, Mr. DENT, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. 
FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. GRIMM, Mr. HANNA, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. JONES, Mr. 
RUNYAN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. WELCH, Mr. WILSON of South 
Carolina, and Mr. KING of New York) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 
2000 to reauthorize and improve that Act, 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 ‘‘Oilheat Efficiency, Re-
newable Fuel Research and Jobs Training Act of 2013’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
Section 702 of the National Oilheat Research Alli-
ance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; Public Law 106– 
469) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon at the end; 
(2) by striking the period at the end and insert-
ing a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) consumers of oilheat fuel are provided 
service by thousands of small businesses that are un-
able to individually develop training programs to fa-
cilitate the entry of new and qualified workers into 
the oilheat fuel industry; 
‘‘(7) small businesses and trained employees are 
in an ideal position— 
‘‘(A) to provide information to consumers 
about the benefits of improved efficiency; and 
‘‘(B) to encourage consumers to value effi-
ciency in energy choices and assist individuals 
in conserving energy; 
‘‘(8) additional research is necessary— 
‘‘(A) to improve oilheat fuel equipment; 
and 
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‘‘(B) to develop domestic renewable re-
sources that can be used to safely and 
affordably heat homes; 
‘‘(9) since there are no Federal resources avail-
able to assist the oilheat fuel industry, it is nec-
essary and appropriate to develop a self-funded pro-
gram dedicated— 
‘‘(A) to improving efficiency in customer 
homes; 
‘‘(B) to assist individuals to gain employ-
ment in the oilheat fuel industry; and 
‘‘(C) to develop domestic renewable re-
sources; 
‘‘(10) both consumers of oilheat fuel and retail-
ers would benefit from the self-funded program; and 
‘‘(11) the oilheat fuel industry is committed to 
providing appropriate funding necessary to carry out 
the purposes of this title without passing additional 
costs on to residential consumers.’’. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 703 of the National 
Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 
note; Public Law 106–469) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through 
(15) as paragraphs (4) through (16), respectively; 
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(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) COST-EFFECTIVE.—The term ‘cost-effec-
tive’, with respect to a program or activity carried 
out under section 707(f)(4), means that the program 
or activity meets a total resource cost test under 
which— 
‘‘(A) the net present value of economic 
benefits over the life of the program or activity, 
including avoided supply and delivery costs and 
deferred or avoided investments; is greater than 
‘‘(B) the net present value of the economic 
costs over the life of the program or activity, in-
cluding program costs and incremental costs 
borne by the energy consumer.’’; and 
(3) by striking paragraph (8) (as redesignated 
in paragraph (1)) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(8) OILHEAT FUEL.—The term ‘oilheat fuel’ 
means fuel that— 
‘‘(A) is— 
‘‘(i) No. 1 distillate; 
‘‘(ii) No. 2 dyed distillate; 
‘‘(iii) a liquid blended with No. 1 dis-
tillate or No. 2 dyed distillate; or 
‘‘(iv) a biobased liquid; and 
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‘‘(B) is used as a fuel for nonindustrial 
commercial or residential space or hot water 
heating.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) The National Oilheat Research Alliance Act 
of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; Public Law 106– 
469) is amended by striking ‘‘oilheat’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘oilheat fuel’’. 
(2) Section 704(d) of the National Oilheat Re-
search Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; 
Public Law 106–469) is amended in the subsection 
heading by striking ‘‘OILHEAT’’ and inserting 
‘‘OILHEAT FUEL’’. 
(3) Section 706(c)(2) of the National Oilheat 
Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 
note; Public Law 106–469) is amended in the para-
graph heading by striking ‘‘OILHEAT’’ and inserting 
‘‘OILHEAT FUEL’’. 
(4) Section 707(c) of the National Oilheat Re-
search Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; 
Public Law 106–469) is amended in the subsection 
heading by striking ‘‘OILHEAT’’ and inserting 
‘‘OILHEAT FUEL’’. 
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SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) SELECTION.—Section 705 of the National Oilheat 
Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; Pub-
lic Law 106–469) is amended by striking subsection (a) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) SELECTION.— 
‘‘(1) LIST.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Alliance shall 
provide to the Secretary a list of qualified nomi-
nees for membership in the Alliance. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT.—Except as provided 
in subsection (c)(1)(C), members of the Alliance 
shall be representatives of the oilheat fuel in-
dustry in a State, selected from a list of nomi-
nees submitted by the qualified State associa-
tion in the State. 
‘‘(2) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Alliance 
shall be filled in the same manner as the original se-
lection. 
‘‘(3) SECRETARIAL ACTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
have 60 days to review nominees provided 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) FAILURE TO ACT.—If the Secretary 
takes no action during the 60-day period de-
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scribed in subparagraph (A), the nominees shall 
be considered to be members of the Alliance.’’. 
(b) REPRESENTATION.—Section 705(b) of the Na-
tional Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
6201 note; Public Law 106–469) is amended in the matter 
preceding paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘qualified industry 
organization’’ and inserting ‘‘Alliance’’. 
(c) NUMBER OF MEMBERS.—Section 705(c) of the 
National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 
U.S.C. 6201 note; Public Law 106–469) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Alliance shall be com-
posed of the following members: 
‘‘(A) 1 member representing each State 
participating in the Alliance. 
‘‘(B) 5 representatives of retail marketers, 
of whom 1 shall be selected by each of the 
qualified State associations of the 5 States with 
the highest volume of annual oilheat fuel sales. 
‘‘(C) 5 additional representatives of retail 
marketers. 
‘‘(D) 21 representatives of wholesale dis-
tributors. 
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‘‘(E) 6 public members, who shall be rep-
resentatives of significant users of oilheat fuel, 
the oilheat fuel research community, State en-
ergy officials, or other groups with expertise in 
oilheat fuel, including consumer and low-income 
advocacy groups.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘the qualified 
industry organization or’’. 
SEC. 5. FUNCTIONS. 
(a) 
RENEWABLE
FUEL
RESEARCH.—Section 
706(a)(3)(B)(i)(I) of the National Oilheat Research Alli-
ance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 note; Public Law 106– 
469) is amended by inserting before the semicolon at the 
end the following: ‘‘, including research to develop renew-
able fuels and to examine the compatibility of different 
renewable fuels with oilheat fuel utilization equipment, 
with priority given to research on the development and use 
of advanced biofuels’’. 
(b) BIENNIAL BUDGETS.—Section 706(e) of the Na-
tional Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
6201 note; Public Law 106–469) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) PUBLICATION
OF
PROPOSED
BUDGET.— 
Not later than August 1, 2013, and every 2 years 
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thereafter, the Alliance shall, in consultation with 
the Secretary, develop and publish for public review 
and comment a proposed biennial budget for the 
next 2 calendar years, including the probable oper-
ating and planning costs of all programs, projects, 
and contracts and other agreements.’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(4) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Alliance shall not 
implement a proposed budget until the expira-
tion of 60 days after submitting the proposed 
budget to the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR
CHANGES 
BY SECRETARY.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary 
may recommend to the Alliance changes to 
the budget programs and activities of the 
Alliance that the Secretary considers ap-
propriate. 
‘‘(ii) RESPONSE
BY
ALLIANCE.—Not 
later than 30 days after the receipt of any 
recommendations made under clause (i), 
the Alliance shall submit to the Secretary 
a final budget for the next 2 calendar 
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years that incorporates or includes a de-
scription of the response of the Alliance to 
any changes recommended under clause 
(i).’’. 
SEC. 6. ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 707 of the National 
Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 
note; Public Law 106–469) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) RATE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The assessment rate for 
calendar years 2013 and 2014 shall be equal to 2⁄10 
of 1 cent per gallon of oilheat fuel. 
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT ASSESSMENTS.—Subject to 
paragraph (3), effective beginning with calendar 
year 2015, the annual assessment rate shall be suffi-
cient to cover the costs of the plans and programs 
developed by the Alliance. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS ON INCREASE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The annual assess-
ment shall not exceed 1⁄2 of 1 cent per gallon 
of oilheat fuel. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The annual assess-
ment may not change by more than 1⁄10 of 1 
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cent per gallon of oilheat fuel in any 12 month- 
period. 
‘‘(C) APPROVAL.—No increase in the as-
sessment may occur unless— 
‘‘(i) the increase is approved by 3⁄4 of 
the members voting at a regularly sched-
uled meeting of the Alliance; and 
‘‘(ii) at least 90 days before the date 
of the meeting of the Alliance, the Alliance 
provides notice of the proposed increase to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate and the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(8) PROHIBITION ON PASS THROUGH.—None 
of the assessments collected under this title may be 
passed through or otherwise required to be paid by 
residential consumers of oilheat fuel.’’. 
(b) FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED STATE 
ASSOCIATIONS.—Section 
707(e)(2) 
of 
the 
National 
Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 
note; Public Law 106–469) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
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‘‘(B) SEPARATE ACCOUNTS.—As a condi-
tion of receipt of funds made available to a 
qualified State association under this title, the 
qualified State association shall deposit the 
funds in an account that is separate from other 
funds of the qualified State association.’’. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—Section 707 of the National 
Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 6201 
note; Public Law 106–469) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(f) USE OF ASSESSMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this title, the Secretary and the Alliance 
shall ensure that assessments collected for each cal-
endar year under this title are allocated and used in 
accordance with this subsection. 
‘‘(2) RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND
DEM-
ONSTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Alliance shall en-
sure that not less than 30 percent of the assess-
ments collected for each calendar year under 
this title are used by qualified State associa-
tions or the Alliance to conduct research, devel-
opment, and demonstration activities relating to 
oilheat fuel, including the development of en-
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