PUBLIC LAW 104-284—OCT. 11, 1996 110 STAT. 3375 SEC. 8. LOBBYING RESTRICTIONS. 15 USC 6407. No funds collected by the Council shall be used in any manner for influencing legislation or elections, except that the Council may recommend to the Secretary changes in this Act or other statutes that would further the purposes of this Act. SEC. 9. MARKET SURVEY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION. 15 USC 6408. (a) PRICE ANALYSIS. —Beginning 2 years after establishment of the Council and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce, using only data provided by the Energy Information Administration and other public sources, shall prepare and make avsulable to the Council, the Secretary of Energy, and the public an analysis of changes in the price of propane relative to other energy sources. The propane price analysis shall compare indexed changes in the price of consumer grade propane to a composite of indexed changes in the price of residential electricity, residential natural gas, and refiner price to end users of No. 2 fiiel oil on an annual national average basis. For purposes of indexing changes in consumer grade propane, residential electricity, residential natural gas, and end user No. 2 fuel oil prices, the Secretary of Commerce shall use a 5-year rolling average price beginning with the year 4 years prior to the establishment of the Council. (b) AUTHORITY TO RESTRICT ACTIVITIES.—If in any year the 5-year average rolHng price index of consumer grade propane exceeds the 5-year rolling average price composite index of residential electricity, residential natural gas, and refiner price to end users of No. 2 fuel oil in an smaount greater than 10.1 percent, the activities of the Council shall be restricted to research and development, training, and safety matters. The Council shall inform the Secretary of Energy and the Congress of any restriction of activities under this subsection. Upon expiration of 180 days after the beginning of any such restriction of activities, the Secretary of Commerce shall again conduct the propane price analysis described in subsection (a). Activities of the Council shall continue to be restricted under this subsection until the price index excess is 10.1 percent or less. SEC. 10. PRICING. 15 USC 6409. In all cases, the price of propane shall be determined by market forces. Consistent with the antitrust laws, the Council may take no action, nor may any provision of this Act be interpreted as establishing an agreement to pass along to consumers the cost of the assessment provided for in section 6. SEC. 11. RELATION TO OTHER PROGRAMS. 15 USC 6410. Nothing in this Act may be construed to preempt or supersede any other program relating to propane education and research organized and operated \inder the laws of the United States or any State. SEC. 12. REPORTS. 15 USC 6411. Within 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce shall prepare and submit to the Congress and the Secretary a report examining whether operation of the Council, in conjunction with the cumulative effects of market changes and Federal programs, has had an effect on propane consumers, including residential, agriculture, process, and nonfuel users of propane. The
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