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S 2557 109th Congress Senate Commerce Antitrust law Cartels Civil actions and liability Competition Congress Congressional investigations Congressional reporting requirements Consent decrees Corporate divestiture Energy Energy prices Energy supplies Federal-state relations Foreign Trade and International Finance Gas industry Gasoline Government Operations and Politics Government liability (International law) Governmental investigations

Oil and Gas Industry Antitrust Act of 2006

Introduced: April 6, 2006 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 27, 2006
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 416.
Apr 27, 2006
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter without amendment. Without written report.
Apr 27, 2006
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Apr 6, 2006
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Apr 6, 2006
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3213-3214)
Apr 6, 2006
Introduced in Senate
Mar 9, 2006
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1951-1952)
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Oil and Gas Industry Antitrust Act of 2006 - Amends the Clayton Act to make it unlawful for any person to refuse to sell, or to export or divert, existing supplies of petroleum, gasoline, or other fuel derived from petroleum, or natural gas, with the primary intention of increasing prices or creating a shortage in a geographic market.

Directs the Attorney General (AG) and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study, and report to Congress on, whether section 7 of the Clayton Act (prohibiting certain mergers or acquisitions) should be amended to modify how that section applies to persons engaged in the business of exploring for, producing, refining, or otherwise processing, storing, marketing, selling, or otherwise making available petroleum, gasoline or other fuel derived from petroleum, or natural gas.

Requires the Comptroller General (CG) to study the effectiveness of divestitures required under certain prior oil and gas industry consent decrees. Requires a report on study results from the CG to Congress, the FTC, and the Department of Justice.

Directs the AG and FTC Chairman to establish a joint federal-state task force to investigate information sharing among persons in the oil and gas industry.

No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2006 or NOPEC - Amends the Sherman Act to make it illegal for any foreign state or instrumentality thereof to act collectively with any other foreign state or instrumentality to: (1) limit oil production or distribution; (2) set or maintain the price of oil; or (3) take any other action in restraint of trade for oil, natural gas, or any petroleum product. Provides for enforcement through the AG.

What's happening now April 27, 2006

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 416.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1