§2841 Study by Secretary of Energy

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must work with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, the Attorney General, and other agencies the Secretary chooses to study whether producers, refiners, or suppliers use profits from other parts of their business to subsidize selling motor fuel. The study must look at things like vertical integration, whether such subsidizing is predatory and hurts competition, how profitable different parts of the petroleum industry are, what would happen to industry segments and consumer fuel prices if subsidizing were banned, and any other related issues the Secretary finds important. The Secretary must give notice and let interested people submit written and spoken information. The Secretary must send a report with findings, statistics, and any recommended laws to Congress by the end of the 18th month after June 19, 1978. If the President finds it necessary, he must issue temporary rules under the procedures in section 6393(a) of title 42 while Congress reviews the report. The President cannot propose such measures after January 1, 1980. Any temporary rule must be approved by both Houses of Congress like a contingency plan under section 6422 of title 42, with the usual 60‑day review period extended to 90 days, and it cannot last more than 18 months after Congress approves it. Money may be appropriated as needed to carry out the study.