
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC13555]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                       CHAPTER 134--ENERGY POLICY
 
                      SUBCHAPTER XII--MISCELLANEOUS
 
                 Part B--Other Miscellaneous Provisions
 
Sec. 13555. Consultative Commission on Western Hemisphere Energy 
        and Environment
        

(a) Findings

    The Congress finds that--
        (1) there is growing mutual economic interdependence among the 
    countries of the Western Hemisphere;
        (2) energy and environmental issues are intrinsically linked and 
    must be considered together when formulating policy on the broader 
    issue of sustainable economic development for the Western Hemisphere 
    as a whole;
        (3) when developing their respective energy infrastructures, 
    countries in the Western Hemisphere must consider existing and 
    emerging environmental constraints, and do so in a way that results 
    in sustainable long-term economic growth;
        (4) the coordination of respective national energy and 
    environmental policies of the governments of the Western Hemisphere 
    could be substantially improved through regular consultation among 
    these countries;
        (5) the development, production and consumption of energy can 
    affect environmental quality, and the environmental consequences of 
    energy-related activities are not confined within national 
    boundaries, but are regional and global in scope;
        (6) although the Western Hemisphere is richly endowed with 
    indigenous energy resources, an insufficient energy supply would 
    severely constrain future opportunities for sustainable economic 
    development and growth in each of these member countries; and
        (7) the energy markets of the United States are linked with 
    those in other countries of the Western Hemisphere and the world.

(b) ``Commission'' defined

    For purposes of this section, the term ``Commission'' means the 
Consultative Commission on Western Hemisphere Energy and Environment.

(c) Negotiations

    The President is authorized to direct the United States 
representative to the Organization of American States to initiate 
negotiations with the Organization of American States for the 
establishment of a Consultative Commission on Western Hemisphere Energy 
and Environment under the auspices of the Organization of American 
States.

(d) The Commission

    In the course of the negotiations, the following shall be pursued:

                           (1) Objectives

        The objectives of the Commission shall be--
            (A) to evaluate from the viewpoint of the Western Hemisphere 
        as a whole the energy and environmental situations, trends, and 
        policies of the countries of the participating governments 
        necessary to support sustainable economic development;
            (B) to recommend to the participating governments actions, 
        policies, and institutional arrangements that will enhance 
        cooperation and policy coordination among their respective 
        countries in the future development and use of indigenous energy 
        resources and technologies, and in the future development and 
        implementation of measures to protect the environment of the 
        Western Hemisphere; and
            (C) to recommend to the participating governments actions 
        and policies that will enhance energy and environmental 
        cooperation and coordination among the countries of the Western 
        Hemisphere and the world.

                    (2) Composition of Commission

        The Commission shall include representatives of--
            (A) the respective foreign energy and environmental 
        ministries or departments of the participating governments;
            (B) the parliamentary or legislative bodies with legislative 
        responsibilities for energy and environmental matters; and
            (C) other governmental and non-governmental observers 
        appointed by the heads of each participating government on the 
        basis of their experience and expertise.

                           (3) Secretariat

        A small secretariat shall be chosen by the participating 
    governments for their expertise in the areas of energy and the 
    environment.

                        (4) Sunset provision

        The Commission's authority--
            (A) shall terminate five years from the date of the 
        agreement under which it was created; and
            (B) may be extended for a five-year term at the expiration 
        of the previous term by agreement of the participating 
        governments.

(e) Report

    The President shall, within one year after October 24, 1992, report 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate, on the progress toward the establishment of the Commission and 
achievement of the purposes of this section.

(Pub. L. 102-486, title XXX, Sec. 3020, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3131.)

                         Change of Name

    Committee on Energy and Commerce of House of Representatives treated 
as referring to Committee on Commerce of House of Representatives and 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of House of Representatives treated as 
referring to Committee on International Relations of House of 
Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104-14, set out as a note 
preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress.
