PRINTER'S NO. 12
No. 12 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY BARD, TULLI, HERSHEY, PERZEL, GEIST, DeWEESE,
RUBLEY, GEORGE, ARMSTRONG, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, DALEY, DALLY,
GABIG, HANNA, HERMAN, HUTCHINSON, LAUGHLIN, McILHATTAN,
METCALFE, RAYMOND, SAYLOR, SCHULER, S. H. SMITH, SOLOBAY,
STRITTMATTER AND SURRA, JANUARY 23, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 23, 2001
A RESOLUTION
1 Establishing a select committee to develop an energy strategy
2 that promotes alternatives to imported petroleum to meet the
3 goal of independence from imported petroleum within five
4 years.
5 WHEREAS, Previous administrations of the United States
6 Government resolved to free the United States from dependence
7 upon foreign oil by increasing Corporate Average Fuel Economy
8 (CAFE) standards, promoting energy conservation and efficiency
9 and developing renewable energy sources; and
10 WHEREAS, As headlines of oil crises fade into obscurity, so
11 too have government actions to decrease United States reliance
12 on petroleum products; and
13 WHEREAS, Tightening in oil markets and the spikes in gasoline
14 and home heating oil prices offer new opportunities to focus on
15 United States dependence upon petroleum imports and the need to
16 find substitute energy sources and technologies; and
17 WHEREAS, Our day-to-day, pervasive dependence on foreign oil
1 is ignored at great peril to our economic security; and
2 WHEREAS, The national security implications of the United
3 States dependence upon foreign oil influences and foreign policy
4 decisions affecting Israel, other Mideastern countries, Russia
5 and China and many of the world hot spots are constrained by the
6 United States tie to oil; and
7 WHEREAS, The United States Government and the United States
8 military must blaze new territory and search new frontiers of
9 knowledge and technology for energy independence that will
10 provide security into the distant future; and
11 WHEREAS, State governments should engage in the same
12 endeavors as the United States Government on these energy
13 issues; and
14 WHEREAS, The commitment needed to lead to energy independence
15 is the same as that of government, to sponsor investment in
16 highways and space exploration, setting the direction for
17 private enterprise to follow; and
18 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth needs to study ways to make this
19 commitment possible; therefore be it
20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a
21 select committee to develop an energy strategy that promotes
22 alternatives to imported petroleum to meet the goal of
23 independence from foreign petroleum within five years; and be it
24 further
25 RESOLVED, That the select committee consist of eight members
26 of the House of Representatives, five from the majority party
27 and three from the minority party; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
29 appoint five members of the select committee; and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That the Minority Leader of the House of
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1 Representatives appoint three members of the select committee;
2 and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
4 designate one member of the select committee to serve as
5 chairperson; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the Minority Leader of the House of
7 Representatives designate one member of the select committee to
8 serve as minority chairperson; and be it further
9 RESOLVED, That the members of the select committee be
10 appointed within 15 days of the date of adoption of this
11 resolution; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the select committee may hold hearings, take
13 testimony and make its investigations at such places as it deems
14 necessary within or without this Commonwealth and that each
15 member of the select committee shall have the power to
16 administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses appearing before
17 the select committee; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the House of
19 Representatives be authorized to pay for all necessary,
20 appropriate and proper expenses incurred by the select
21 committee; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the select committee make a report of its
23 findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives no
24 later than November 30, 2002.
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