US Senate panel advances anti

US Senate panel advances anti-OPEC bill; next stop full Senate

Washington (Platts)--26Apr2004


The US Senate Judiciary Committee last week unanimously advanced the No Oil
Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, or so-called NOPEC bill, which would
permit the US Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission to bring
actions against foreign states--such as members of OPEC--for collusive
practices in setting the price or production of oil or oil products. The
bi-partisan Senate bill, S 2270, was sponsored by Sens. Mike DeWine
(Republican- Ohio), Herb Kohl (Democrat-Wisconsin), Chuck Grassley
(Republican-Iowa), Chuck Schumer (Democrat-New York), Russ Feingold
(Democrat-Wisconsin), Patrick Leahy (Democrat-Vermont) and Norm Coleman
(Republican-Minnesota). It was passed by the committee on Thursday, and will
move next to the full Senate, although a vote has yet to be scheduled. A
companion bill (H.R. 4106) was introduced in the House in early April by
Democrats John Conyers of Michigan, Zoe Lofgren of California and Mike
McIntyre of North Carolina, but it has yet to be acted on in committee.