The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA) and the Federal Power Act (FPA) were enacted to eliminate unfair practices and other abuses by electricity and gas holding companies by requiring federal control and regulation of interstate public utility holding companies. Comprehensive energy legislation has passed the House and Senate. The House passed H.R. 6 on April 11, 2003. On July 31, 2003, the Senate suspended debate on S. 14, inserted the text of H.R. 4 (107th Congress) as a substitute, and passed H.R. 6. A conference agreement was reached November 17, 2003, and passed by the House the next day. H.R. 6 includes an electricity title that would, in part, repeal PUHCA, would prospectively repeal the mandatory purchase requirement under PURPA, and would create an electric reliability organization. On June 15, 2004, H.R. 4503, a comprehensive energy policy bill, passed the House.

At the 1994 Summit of the Americas, 34 hemispheric democracies agreed to create a “Free Trade Area of the Americas” (FTAA) no later than 2005. If created, the FTAA would be a $13 trillion market of 34 countries (Cuba is not included) and nearly 800 million people. The population alone would make it the largest free trade area in the world with nearly twice the 450 million population of the now 25-nation European Union. In the nearly ten years following the 1994 summit, Western Hemisphere trade ministers have met eight times to advance the negotiating process. At the last ministerial held from November 17- 20 2003 in Miami, ministers agreed to a declaration that set a September 2004 deadline for the market access talks, created a two-tiered FTAA structure, and reaffirmed countries’ commitment to complete the entire FTAA by January 2005.

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The report is categorized into five categories: (I)Most Recent developments (II) Background and Analysis, (III) Improving Fuel Economy: Other Policy Approaches, (IV) Legislation, (V) For Additional Reading.

The Bush Administration issued its plan for a national energy policy on May 16, 2001. The plan was controversial, characterized by some as leaner on conservation and renewables than Democratic proposals, and predisposed to trade off environmental considerations to increase supply. Comprehensive energy legislation was introduced in the Senate by both parties by late March (S. 388, S. 389, S. 596, S. 597). Bills reported by several House committees (H.R. 2436, H.R. 2460, H.R. 2511, and H.R. 2587) were combined in a single bill, H.R. 4, passed by the House, August 1, 2001. The House version of H.R. 4 would require a 5 billion gallon reduction in light-duty truck and SUV fuel consumption and would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to leasing.

This report includes information regarding the debate over energy policy. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, electricity restructuring, and nuclear energy are among items discussed in this report.

This report includes background and analysis of the debate on energy policy. Non-tax energy production initiatives, nuclear energy, and energy restructuring are also among topics discussed in this report.

On April 10, 2003, the House passed comprehensive energy legislation, H.R. 6 (247- 175). The bill was a composite of four measures – H.R. 39, reported from the House Committee on Resources, H.R. 238, marked up by the House Science Committee, H.R. 1531, reported from Ways and Means, and an unnumbered bill reported out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Unlike comprehensive energy legislation (H.R. 4) debated in the 107th Congress, H.R. 6 includes a section on electricity which has stirred some controversy. H.R. 6 would provide authorization for exploration and development of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

The history of omnibus energy legislation in the 108th Congress has been protracted. The House passed the conference version of H.R. 6 on November 18, 2003. On November 21, a cloture motion to limit debate in the Senate on the H.R. 6 conference report failed (57-40). Efforts to bring the bill back to the Senate floor early in the second session were unsuccessful. Some argued that any major changes to the legislation would not be viable because of the careful regional and political compromises that were reached to get a bill out of conference and through the House. The closest consensus was that the cost of the bill had to be reduced.

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This report includes information regarding various agriculture issues surrounding mad cow disease. Topics of discussion include risk analysis, safeguards, and trade issues.

This report discuses lumber imports from Canada and provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events.

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This report discusses the information related to new legislation and proposals of Gasoline Prices.

This report discusses legislation and proposals regarding prices of gasoline. Policy options, ANWR, and price gouging are among topics covered in this report.

This report provides background information and analysis regarding oil related issues and issues beyond the Energy Policy Act.

This report details the information related to gasoline prices and discusses on policies and proposals.

This report discusses the U.S. Intelligence Community's status and priorities in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

This report discusses the U.S. Intelligence Community's status and priorities in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

This report discusses intelligence issues for Congress including narcotics trafficking, conflicts between Israel and Palestine, in Iraq, and among the former Yugoslav states, and North Korean missile capabilities. Updated October 1, 2002.

This report discusses intelligence issues for Congress including narcotics trafficking, conflicts between Israel and Palestine, in Iraq, and among the former Yugoslav states, and North Korean missile capabilities. Updated October 27, 2004.

This report discusses intelligence issues for Congress including terrorism, conflicts between Israel and Palestine, in Iraq, and among the former Yugoslav states, and North Korean missile capabilities. Updated October 6, 2003.