Public Energy Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Public Energy Act - Title I: Declaration of Policy - Declares it unlawful after the date of enactment of this Act for any person engaged in commerce in the business of refining energy resource products to acquire any energy resource product extraction asset, energy pipeline asset, or energy marketing asset. States that the Attorney General of the United States and the Federal Trade Commission shall simulataneously and independently examine the relationship of persons now engaged in one or more branches of the energy industry. Requires the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission to institute suits in the district courts of the United States requesting the issuance of such relief as is appropriate under this Act. Provides that any person who knowingly violates any provision of this title shall, upon conviction, be punished, in the case of an individual, by a fine of not to exceed $500,000 or by imprisonment for a period not to exceed ten years, or both, or in the case of a corporation, by a fine of not to exceed $5,000,000 or by suspension of the right to do business in interstate commerce for a period not to exceed ten years, or both. Title II: Federal Energy Commission - Establishes an independent regulatory commission to be known as the Federal Energy Commission, consisting of five Commissioners who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provides that for the purpose of assuring a sufficient supply of energy resource products throughout the United States with the greatest possible economy and with regard to the proper utilization and conservation of natural resources, the Commission shall divide the country into regional districts which shall be served by energy refinery assets designated by the Commission for such purpose. Provides that, beginning with the expiration of the three-year period which begins on the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, by rule, prescribe all rates and charges (or the manner for determining all rates and charges) made, demanded, or received by any energy refinery asset for or in connection with the sale of any energy resource products. Requires the Commission to specify (or prescribe a manner for specifying) the price of energy resource products at all levels of sale if the Commission finds that such action is necessary to avoid excessive prices to the ultimate consumer of such products.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on April 11, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on April 11, 1974: Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN MCFALL (D-CA) introduced it on April 11, 1974. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 11, 1974, 19145 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19145 days ago, on April 11, 1974.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers