InsideGov
Congress · Laws

Energy Conservation Reauthorization Act of 1998

Public Law 105-388 · S. 417 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 13, 1998 · Energy

Sponsor: Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK)

Cosponsors: None

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.

Report a correction

Summary

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

Energy Conservation Reauthorization Act of 1998 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to authorize appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003 for: (1) State energy conservation programs; and (2) the energy conservation program for schools and hospitals.

(Sec. 3) Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to authorize appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003 to implement the weatherization program.

(Sec. 4) Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to extend until October 1, 2003, Federal agency authority to enter into new energy savings performance contracts.

(Sec. 6) Repeals termination of the President's authority to require either allocation or priority contract performance of materials supplies and equipment in order to maximize domestic energy supplies under certain energy contingencies (thereby making such authority permanent).

(Sec. 7) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to set forth a statutory mechanism for the allocation of credit for specified biodiesel fuel use by a fleet or covered person.

Requires the Secretary to allocate one credit to a fleet or covered person for each qualifying volume of the biodiesel component of fuel containing at least 20 percent biodiesel by volume (B-20) purchased for use by the fleet or covered person in vehicles owned or operated by the fleet or covered person that weigh more than 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating. Permits the Secretary to lower the B-20 requirement for reasons related to cold start, safety, or vehicle function considerations.

Prohibits the allocation of credits for a purchase of biodiesel: (1) for use in alternative fueled vehicles; or (2) that is required by Federal or State law.

Requires the Secretary, upon the request of a fleet or covered person receiving a credit allocation, to treat that purchase as the acquisition of one alternative fueled vehicle which the fleet or covered person is required to acquire by such Act.

(Sec. 8) Requires the head of each Federal agency to report annually to the Congress on compliance with the alternative fuel purchasing requirements for Federal fleets, including a plan with specific dates for achieving compliance. Requires public dissemination of such reports in the Federal Register and on the Internet.

(Sec. 9) Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act with respect to each offering of a quantity of petroleum product during an Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) drawdown to prescribe guidelines under which the State of Hawaii may: (1) submit binding offers and purchase categories of such product (receiving, at the Governor's request, first preference in scheduling for lifting); and (2) enter into agreements with eligible entities (local refineries) which may act on the State's behalf.

Instructs the Secretary of Energy, at the request of the governor of an insular area, or President of a Freely Associated State, to assist such area or State in its efforts to maintain adequate petroleum products supplies for a maximum 180-day period.

(Sec. 10) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to extend from 1997 to the year 2003 authorization for demonstration programs promoting energy resource development and energy vertical integration on Indian reservations.

(Sec. 11) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to authorize increased appropriations for remedial action at active processing sites, including off-site disposal at thorium processing sites.

Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to increase the requisite deposit level in the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund from $480 million to $488.333 million.

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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Nov 13, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-388.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 2, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 15, 1998Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Schaefer, Dan moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendments.
  7. Oct 8, 1998Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in House amendments with an amendment (SP 3793) by Unanimous Consent.
  8. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  9. Sep 28, 1998FloorFloor · A similar measure H.R. 4017 was laid on the table without objection.
  10. FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
  11. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  12. FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
  13. FloorFloor · The House struck all after the enacting clause and inserted in lieu thereof the provisions of a similar measure H.R. 4017. Agreed to without objection.
  14. FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
  15. FloorFloor · Mr. Schaefer, Dan asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
  16. Jun 27, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  17. Jun 11, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  18. May 21, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  19. May 13, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  20. Mar 10, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.

Report a correction

Official record

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