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Managing America: Energy

TheWeekInCongress.com (TM)

Week Ending May 25, 2006

H.R.2264 To amend the Sherman Act to make oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal.

It is made illegal for any foreign state or any agent or instrumentality of that state to act collectively or with the foreign states to limit production or distribution of oil, natural gas or any other petroleum product, to set or maintain the price of those products or take any action in restraint of trade for those products when those actions has a direct, substantial and reasonably foreseeable effect on the market, supply, price or distribution of oil gas and petroleum products in the US.

Sovereign immunity would not protect a foreign state engaged in the prohibited activities from jurisdiction or judgments of the US courts. The Act of State doctrine that might prohibit a US court from bringing action to enforce is made ineffective by this bill. Court action would be at the US District court level.

Sponsor:  Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI-14^th)

Vote: Passed House 345 to 72 May 22, 2007 (RC 398)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost

Earmark Certification:   Not applicable to this bill.

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