Western Hemisphere Energy Compact Act of 2008
Latest action · Sep 27, 2008 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedSep 27, 2008
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Western Hemisphere Energy Compact Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, to seek to establish a regional-based ministerial forum to be known as the Western Hemisphere Energy Cooperation Forum: (1) for the cooperation of Western Hemisphere on energy issues; (2) to lessen dependence on oil imports without reducing food availability; (3) to ensure that energy contributes to the economic, social, and environmental enhancement of the countries in the Western Hemisphere; and (4) to permit participating countries to cooperatively address broad challenges posed to the energy supply of the Western Hemisphere.
Directs the U.S. to seek to implement, in cooperation with Energy Forum countries: (1) an energy crisis initiative; (2) an energy sustainability initiative; (3) an energy for development initiative; and (4) biofuels studies.
Provides for the establishment of a Western Hemisphere Energy Industry Group to: (1) increase public-private partnerships; (2) foster private investment; and (3) enable countries in the Western Hemisphere to devise energy agendas compatible with industry capacity and cognizant of industry goals.
Provides for: (1) the establishment of an Oil and Natural Gas Working Group; (2) a U.S.-Brazil biofuels partnership; (3) biofuels feasibility studies; (4) regional and hemispheric carbon trading mechanisms; (5) the establishment of a Western Hemisphere energy crisis response mechanism; (6) seeking to increase U.S. foreign assistance programming in renewable energy; and (7) energy public diplomacy.
Cosponsors 1
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Sep 27, 2008.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-PA | Phil English | Original | Sep 27, 2008 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Foreign Affairs Committee | Referred Sep 27, 2008 |
| House | Financial Services Committee | Referred Sep 27, 2008 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 27, 2008Introduced in House
- Sep 27, 2008Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
CRS reports 1
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| RL33828 | Latin America and the Caribbean: Issues for the 110th Congress Archived | Report | Jan 26, 2009 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To direct the Secretary of State to work with the Government of Brazil and the governments of other countries in the Western Hemisphere to develop partnerships to strengthen diplomatic relations and energy security by accelerating the development of biofuels production, research, and infrastructure, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Western Hemisphere Energy Compact Act of 2008
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Advanced technology and technological innovations
- Africa
- Agricultural conservation and pollution
- Agricultural education
- Air quality
- Alternative and renewable resources
- Asia
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Climate change and greenhouse gases
- Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Energy efficiency and conservation
- Energy research
- Energy storage, supplies, demand
- Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
- Environmental technology
- Europe
- European Union
- Food supply, safety, and labeling
- Foreign aid and international relief
- Free trade and trade barriers
- Government studies and investigations
- India
- International Affairs
- International organizations and cooperation
- Japan
- Latin America
- Mexico
- Multilateral development programs
- Navigation, waterways, harbors
- Oil and gas
- Pipelines
- Public-private cooperation
- Railroads
- Research administration and funding
- South Africa
- Technology assessment
- U.S. and foreign investments
- Western Hemisphere
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Sep 27, 2008Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
