Petroleum Industry Divorcement Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
Petroleum Industry Divorcement Act - Makes it unlawful under the Clayton Act for any oil company engaged in commerce in any branch of the petroleum industry, after the expiration of the eight-year period commencing on the date of the enactment of this Act, to concurrently own or control any asset used in, or any stock of any oil company engaged in, commerce in any other branch of the petroleum industry. Requires one-half of such asset and stock to be disposed of in the three-year period which commences on such date of enactment. States that each such oil company shall file records with the Attorney General at such times as he, by regulation, shall prescribe for the effective administration of this Act. Authorizes the Attorney General to institute a civil action for appropriate relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, whenever any person violates this Act. Sets forth the criminal penalties for violations of this Act. States that a violation by an oil company shall be deemed to be also a violation by the individual directors, officers, receivers, trustees, or agents of such an oil company who shall have authorized or done any of the acts constituting the violation in whole or in part.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 17, 1973. 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 July 17, 1973: Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 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?
BEN BLACKBURN (R-GA) introduced it on July 17, 1973. 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 July 17, 1973, 19413 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19413 days ago, on July 17, 1973.
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