Environmentalists believe that the environmental and economic costs of America's heavy reliance on petroleum should be borne by the producers and consumers of petroleum, not imposed as an invisible burden on all taxpayers. Establishing the true cost of oil dependence will send market signals that promote energy efficiency, development of renewable resources, and long-term, sustainable energy security.

The House version of the Comprehensive National Energy Policy Act (H.R. 776) included a provision which required oil importers and refiners to set aside a small portion of their oil (on the order of 1%) to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) or make cash payments to the SPR fill fund. Oil companies would have retained title to their SPR contributions and would have received revenues from any future sales out of the Reserve. Without a mechanism to establish the real costs of our oil habit, the US will continue to promote wasteful consumption and unnecessary dependence on a resource that threatens our public health, environment and the global climate.

The vote is on Representative Dan Rostenkowski's (D, IL-8) amendment to strike this provision from the Energy bill. The motion to strike was adopted 263-135 on May 27, 1992. NO is the pro-environment vote.