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Propane Education and Research Act of 1996

Public Law 104-284 · H.R. 1514 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 11, 1996 · Energy

Sponsor: Rep. Billy Tauzin (D-LA-3)

Cosponsors (230): Rep. Ralph Hall,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Propane Education and Research Act of 1996 - Authorizes the qualified industry organizations (the National Propane Gas Association, the Gas Processors Association, or successor organizations, or a group of retail marketers or producers who collectively represent at least 25 percent of the volume of propane sold or produced in the United States) to conduct, at their own expense, a referendum among producers and retail marketers for the creation of a Propane Education and Research Council.

Directs the Council, if established, to develop programs (including programs to enhance consumer and employee safety and training) and enter into contracts for: (1) propane research and development; (2) consumer education; and (3) payment for program costs with funds collected under this Act.

Requires the Council to reimburse the Secretary of Energy annually for any costs incurred by the United States, but not more than the average annual salary of two Department of Energy employees.

Prescribes guidelines under which the Council shall set annual assessments on odorized propane to cover program costs.

Directs the Council to establish a program to coordinate its operations with any State propane education and research council.

Prohibits Council funds from being used for lobbying activities.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to annually prepare and make available to the Council, the Secretary of Energy (Secretary), and the public, an analysis of changes in propane prices relative to other energy resources. Requires the Council to restrict its activities to research and development, training, and safety whenever in any year the five-year average rolling price index of consumer grade propane exceeds by more than 10.1 percent the five-year rolling average price composite index of residential electricity, residential natural gas, and refiner price to end users of Number 2 fuel oil.

Requires the price of propane to be determined by market forces in all cases. Prohibits the Council from taking action to pass the cost of the annual assessments to consumers.

Requires the Secretary of Commerce to report biennially to the Congress and the Secretary on: (1) 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; and (2) whether there have been long-term and short-term effects on propane prices as a result of Council activities and Federal programs.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

  1. Oct 11, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-284.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 30, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 28, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Sep 4, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Schaefer moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Jul 10, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  9. Jun 27, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  10. Apr 16, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  11. Mar 5, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  13. Oct 26, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  14. Apr 24, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  15. Apr 13, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Environment Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  16. Apr 7, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  18. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.