[House Report 110-308]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
110th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 110-308
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ENERGY INFORMATION AVAILABILITY
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August 3, 2007.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Dingell, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3240]
The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 3240) to enhance availability of critical energy
information, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Subcommittee Consideration....................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 3
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits............................. 3
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 4
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 4
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 4
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
The purpose of H.R. 3240 is to assure that the Energy
Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and
analytical branch of the Department of Energy (DOE), will
continue, reinstate, and expand its collection and reporting of
vital energy data.
EIA data concerning energy use and production informs
energy market decisions, policymaking, and public
understanding, all of which require a solid basis of facts
concerning energy supplies and demands. EIA has the principal
responsibility for developing this essential information, and
the purpose of this legislation is to assure that it has both
the resources and the direction to meet that responsibility.
The Committee on Energy and Commerce appreciates EIA's work
and recognizes that maintaining high standards cannot be
assured if resources are constrained and data collection is
reduced. The bill directs EIA to prepare and submit to Congress
a five-year plan to enhance the quality and scope of its data
collection and publication activities, with particular focus on
state-level data collection. It requires EIA to work
collaboratively with the States, while not imposing any
mandates, and to report to Congress on the results. It
authorizes additional funds for a significant upgrading of
EIA's state-level and other data collection activities.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
EIA's published and on-line statistical reports have long
been the foundation for energy analysis in the United States.
Established in 1977, EIA has developed many data series that
report on fuels, prices, and other key elements of U.S. energy
markets.
The data series EIA collects and publishes forms the basis
not only for its own analyses of proposed energy policies,
projections of future trends, and quantitative modeling, but
also for those produced by independent academic and private-
sector experts and scholars. EIA uses this data to provide
timely and accurate reports to Congress, to respond to specific
Congressional inquiries, and to produce bulletins and
publications relied upon by energy markets. To prepare
forecasts against which to consider policy options, it is
essential that EIA collect detailed data over time.
In recent years, budget and personnel constraints have
threatened the continuity of a number of data series that
provide such input. In particular a number of series that
provide data for each State have been curtailed or are
threatened with discontinuance. Since some States do not
collect information on their energy supply and demand, a
degredation of EIA data would hinder State as well as national
policy-making.
Over the same period, energy markets have changed, with the
emergence of futures markets, derivatives markets, and spot
markets that exhibit great sensitivity to official data
reports. Some pricing anomalies or short-term volatility in
energy markets have been linked to release of EIA data, and it
has become more important than ever that EIA's data products
are timely, soundly sourced, and credible.
The legislation will help ensure that EIA can continue to
play its vital role as an independent source of complete and
accurate energy market information as the Nation grapples with
energy-related challenges to the economy, environment, and
national security.
SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
Prior to the introduction of H.R. 3240, its text was
considered in the Committee on Energy and Commerce as a
Committee Print.
On Wednesday, June 20, 2007, the Subcommittee on Energy and
Air Quality met in open markup session and considered a
Committee Print to enhance availability of energy information.
The Committee Print was favorably forwarded to the full
Committee, without amendment, by a voice vote. The Committee
Print forwarded by the Subcommittee was subsequently designated
Committee Print #6 for full Committee consideration.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On Thursday, June 28, 2007, the full Committee met in open
markup session and considered the Committee Print, which was
then ordered favorably reported to the House, amended, by a
voice vote. On July 31, 2007, a clean bill, H.R. 3240, was
introduced with the approved language of the Committee Print,
and was referred to the full Committee to be reported to the
House without further consideration.
COMMITTEE VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. Mr.
Dingell moved that the Committee favorably report the Committee
Print, amended, to the House. The motion to report the
Committee Print favorably to the House was agreed to by a voice
vote. There were no recorded votes taken on the Committee Print
during full Committee consideration.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
Regarding clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the oversight findings of the
Committee on the bill are reflected in this report.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goals and objectives of H.R. 3240 are to improve the
energy information collected and made available by the Energy
Information Administration to help ensure the efficient
functioning of energy markets and related financial operations,
and to improve State-specific energy information.
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES
Regarding compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of
the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds
that H.R. 3240 would result in no new or increased budget
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or
revenues.
EARMARKS AND TAX AND TARIFF BENEFITS
Regarding compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, H.R. 3240 does not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9( d), 9( e), or 9(f) of rule
XXI.
COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE
The Committee will adopt as its own the cost estimate
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE
Regarding clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, a cost estimate on H.R. 3240 by the
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available as of the
time of the filing of this report by the Committee.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee will adopt as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
Regarding section 5(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, the bill does not establish any advisory committee.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the
Constitutional authority for this legislation is provided in
the provisions of Article I, section 8, clause 1, that relate
to expending funds to provide for the general welfare of the
United States.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION
Sections 1 and 2. Energy Information Enhancement.--Improves
State data collection required by the Energy Information
Administration (EIA) to support efficient energy markets.