Energy Independence Task Force Act
Bill: H.R.8002 | Sponsor: Rep. Cawthorn, Madison (R-NC)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Energy Independence Task Force Act
This bill establishes the Task Force on Energy Independence in the executive branch. The task force shall examine whether Russia or its agents funded any activities by nongovernmental organizations which limited the ability of Western countries to achieve energy independence and made such countries more reliant on Russian energy exports.

To establish the Inter-Agency Task Force on Energy Independence to 
      examine whether the Russian Federation funded activities of 
 nongovernmental organizations in Western countries which limited the 
ability of those countries to achieve energy independence and made them 
  more reliant on energy exported from Russia, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Independence Task Force 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE OF TASK FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the executive branch a 
task force to be known as the ``Task Force on Energy Independence'' 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Task Force'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Task Force is to examine whether 
the Russian Federation or any agent or instrumentality of the Russian 
Federation funded activities of nongovernmental organizations in 
Western countries which limited the ability of those countries to 
achieve energy independence and made them more reliant on energy 
exported from Russia.

SEC. 3. COMPOSITION OF TASK FORCE.

    (a) Members.--
            (1) Appointment.--Subject to paragraph (3), the Task Force 
        shall be composed of 10 members, of whom 2 shall be appointed 
        not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act by each of the following:
                    (A) The Attorney General.
                    (B) The Secretary of Energy.
                    (C) The Secretary of the Treasury.
                    (D) The Director of the Central Intelligence 
                Agency.
                    (E) The Secretary of State.
            (2) Qualifications.--Members of the Task Force shall be 
        employees of offices of the executive branch who have expertise 
        in any of the issues described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of 
        section 4.
            (3) Status as detailees.--An individual serving as a member 
        of the Task Force shall be detailed, without reimbursement, by 
        the office in which the individual serves as an employee, 
        without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
        privilege, and the individual's appointment shall be subject to 
        the approval of the head of the office in which the individual 
        serves as an employee.
            (4) Chair, vice chair, and meetings.--Not later than 30 
        days after the date on which a simple majority of the members 
        of the Task Force are appointed under paragraph (1), such 
        members shall meet to elect a chair and vice chair from among 
        such members and shall determine a schedule of Task Force 
        meetings.
            (5) No additional funds authorized.--Amounts used for the 
        salaries and expenses, including expenses for official travel, 
        of an individual serving as a member of the Task Force shall be 
        paid out of amounts appropriated for salaries and expenses of 
        the office in which the individual serves as an employee, and 
        no additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated for 
        such salaries and expenses.
    (b) Initial Meeting.--The Task Force shall meet and begin the 
operations of the Task Force not later than 30 days after the 
appointment of a simple majority of members of the Task Force.
    (c) Quorum and Vacancy.--
            (1) Quorum.--A simple majority of the members of the Task 
        Force shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members 
        may hold hearings.
            (2) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Task Force shall not 
        affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in 
        which the original appointment was made not later than 30 days 
        after the vacancy occurs.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE.

    The Task Force shall determine and analyze the following:
            (1) The extent of efforts backed by the Russian Federation 
        or any agent or instrumentality of the Russian Federation to 
        financially support nongovernmental organizations in Western 
        countries that opposed nuclear energy and fracking.
            (2) The success or failure of these efforts to suppress 
        investment by Western countries in diverse energy portfolios.
            (3) The extent to which the funding of these organizations 
        has increased the reliance of Western countries on energy 
        exported from the Russian Federation.
            (4) The assessment of the level of interdependence of 
        Western countries with the Russian Federation, and the extent 
        to which Western countries are subject to coercion by the 
        Russian Federation, because Western countries lack a diverse 
        energy portfolio.
            (5) An assessment of the extent to which energy 
        independence could affect the American economy and provide 
        insulation for Western countries against Russian intimidation.
            (6) The extent to which the structure of energy agreements 
        between the Russian Federation and other energy companies used 
        the participation of smaller, more discreet third-party 
        companies to provide the Russian Federation with greater 
        control over the agreements, including an assessment of the 
        role of companies which were subsidiaries of Russian energy 
        companies or which were controlled overtly or covertly by the 
        Russian Federation or instruments of the Russian Federation.
            (7) An assessment of the Russian Federation's control of 
        and investment in energy companies of Western nations, 
        including companies involved in energy distribution, electric 
        power generation, storage of materials, pipeline maintenance, 
        and similar activities.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF TASK FORCE.

    (a) Hearings.--The Task Force may hold such hearings, meet and act 
at such times and places, and receive such evidence as may be necessary 
to carry out its duties.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Attorney General and 
the Secretary of Energy shall work with the heads of offices of the 
Federal Government to ensure that the Task Force has access to such 
information as the Task Force considers necessary to carry out its 
duties.
    (c) Assistance From Federal Agencies.--
            (1) General services administration.--On request of the 
        chair of the Task Force, the Administrator of General Services 
        shall provide to the Task Force, on a reimbursable basis, 
        administrative support and other assistance necessary for the 
        Task Force to carry out its duties.
            (2) Other departments and agencies.--In addition to the 
        assistance provided for under paragraph (1), departments and 
        agencies of the United States may provide to the Task Force 
        such assistance as they may determine advisable and as 
        authorized by law.
    (d) Subpoena Power.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may issue subpoenas 
        requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
        production of any evidence relating to any matter which the 
        Commission is empowered to investigate by section 4. The 
        attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence may be 
        required from any place within the United States at any 
        designated place of hearing within the United States.
            (2) Failure to obey a subpoena.--If a person refuses to 
        obey a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may 
        apply to a United States district court for an order requiring 
        that person to appear before the Commission to give testimony, 
        produce evidence, or both, relating to the matter under 
        investigation. The application may be made within the judicial 
        district where the hearing is conducted or where that person is 
        found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure to obey the 
        order of the court may be punished by the court as civil 
        contempt.
            (3) Service of subpoenas.--The subpoenas of the Commission 
        shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by 
        a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil 
        Procedure for the United States district courts.
            (4) Service of process.--All process of any court to which 
        application is made under paragraph (2) may be served in the 
        judicial district in which the person required to be served 
        resides or may be found.
    (e) Contracting.--The Task Force may enter into contracts to enable 
it to carry out its duties.
    (f) Donations.--The Task Force may accept, use, and dispose of 
donations of services or property.
    (g) Postal Services.--The Task Force may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as a department 
or agency of the United States.

SEC. 6. STAFF OF TASK FORCE.

    (a) In General.--The chair of the Task Force, in consultation with 
the vice chair, in accordance with rules agreed upon by the Task Force, 
may appoint and fix the compensation of a staff director and such other 
personnel as may be necessary to enable the Task Force to carry out its 
functions, in accordance with the provisions of title 5, United States 
Code, except that no rate of pay fixed under this subsection may exceed 
the equivalent of that payable for a position at level V of the 
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the chair of the 
Task Force, the head of any executive department, bureau, agency, 
board, commission, office, independent establishment, or 
instrumentality of the Federal Government may detail, without 
reimbursement, any of its personnel to the Task Force to assist it in 
carrying out its duties under this Act. Any detail of an employee shall 
be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
    (c) Consultant Services.--The Task Force is authorized to procure 
the services of experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109 
of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not to exceed the daily 
rate paid a person occupying a position at level IV of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 7. FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICABILITY.

    The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall apply to 
the Task Force, including the staff of the Task Force.

SEC. 8. REPORT; TERMINATION.

    (a) Final Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall, not later than 1 
        year after the date of its first meeting, submit to the 
        individuals described in paragraph (2) a final report 
        containing specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
        required under this Act as have been agreed to by a majority of 
        Task Force members.
            (2) Individuals.--The individuals described in this 
        paragraph are the President, the Attorney General, the 
        Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of the Treasury, the 
        Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Speaker of the 
        House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the 
        minority leader of the Senate.
            (3) Classified and unclassified material.--The report under 
        this subsection shall be prepared--
                    (A) in an unclassified version; and
                    (B) in a version which includes a classified annex.
    (b) Termination.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force, and all the authorities of 
        this Act, shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after the 
        date of on which the Task Force submits the final report 
        required under subsection (a).
            (2) Records.--Not later than the date of termination of the 
        Task Force under paragraph (1), all records and papers of the 
        Task Force shall be delivered to the Archivist of the United 
        States for deposit in the National Archives.
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