Senate Resolution 228--Expressing the Sense of the Senate that it Should be a Goal of the United States to Reduce the Amount of Oil Projected to be ..

SENATE RESOLUTION 228--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT IT SHOULD BE A GOAL OF THE UNITED STATES TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF OIL PROJECTED TO BE IMPORTED IN 2025 BY 40 PERCENT AND THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD TAKE MEASURES TO REDUCE THE DEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES ON FOREIGN OIL -- (Senate - July 29, 2005)

Ms. CANTWELL submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources:

S. Res. 228

Whereas reports by the Energy Information Administration entitled ``Annual Energy Outlook 2005'' and ``May 2005 Monthly Energy Review'' estimated that, between January 1, 2005 and April 30, 2005, the United States imported an average of 13,056,000 barrels of oil per day and that, by 2025, the United States will import 19,110,000 barrels of oil per day;

Whereas technology solutions already exist to dramatically increase the productivity of the energy supply of the United States;

Whereas energy efficiency and conservation measures can improve the economic competitiveness of the United States and lessen energy costs for families in the United States;

Whereas the dependence of the United States on foreign oil imports leaves the United States vulnerable to oil supply shocks and reliant on the willingness of other countries to provide sufficient supplies of oil;

Whereas, although only 3 percent of proven oil reserves in the world are located in territory controlled by the United States, advances in fossil fuel extraction techniques and technologies could increase the United States energy supplies; and

Whereas reducing energy consumption also benefits the United States by lowering the environmental impacts associated with fossil fuel use: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--

(1) it should be a goal of the United States to reduce the amount of foreign oil that will be imported in 2025 by 40 percent from the amount the Energy Information Administration estimates will be imported in 2025;

(2) the President should take measures to reduce the dependence of the United States on foreign oil by--

(A) not later than 1 year after the date of passage of this resolution, and every 2 years thereafter--

(i) developing and implementing measures to reduce dependence on foreign oil by reducing oil in end-uses throughout the economy of the United States sufficient by 2015 to reduce by 1,000,000 barrels per day the total demand for oil in the United States projected for such year in the Reference Case in the Annual Energy Outlook 2005 report published by the Energy Information Administration; and

(ii) developing and implementing measures to reduce dependence on foreign oil by reducing oil in end-uses throughout the economy of the United States sufficient by 2025 to reduce by 7,640,000 barrels per day the total demand for oil in the United States projected for such year in the Reference Case in the Annual Energy Outlook 2005 report published by the Energy Information Administration; or

(B) if the President determines that there are insufficient legal authorities to achieve the target for 2025, developing and implementing measures to reduce dependence on foreign oil by--

(i) reducing oil in end-uses throughout the economy of the United States to the maximum extent practicable; and

(ii) submitting to Congress proposed legislation or other recommendations to achieve the target;

(3) in developing measures under paragraph (2), the President should--

(A) ensure continued reliable and affordable energy for the United States, consistent with the creation of jobs and economic growth and maintaining the international competitiveness of businesses in the United States, including the manufacturing sector; and

(B) implement measures under paragraph (2) under existing authorities of the appropriate Federal agencies, as determined by the President;

(4) not later than 1 year after the date of passage of this resolution, and annually thereafter, the President should submit to Congress a report, based on the most recent edition of the Annual Energy Outlook published by the Energy Information Administration, that assesses the progress made by the United States toward the goal of reducing dependence on foreign oil imports by 2025, including by--

(A) identifying the status of efforts to meet the goal described in paragraph (1);

(B) assessing the effectiveness of any measure implemented under paragraph (2) during the previous fiscal year in meeting the goal described in paragraph (1); and

(C) describing plans to develop additional measures to meet the goal described in paragraph (1).

http://thomas.loc.gov/