Ohio Republican’s petroleum refinery bill advances to Senate

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday from Ohio’s Rep. Bob Latta to commission a study on America’s petroleum refining capacity, with support from all the legislative body’s Republicans and 25 Democrats.

The Bowling Green Republican’s REFINER Act passed 230-176, with all Ohio Republicans supporting it except for Rep. Mike Rulli of Salem and Rep. Mike Turner of Dayton, who missed the vote. Among Ohio Democrats, Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron and Rep. Greg Landsman of Cincinnati voted for the measure, while Rep. Shontel Brown of Warrensville Heights and Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo opposed it. Rep. Joyce Beatty of Columbus was absent.

Latta’s bill would require the National Petroleum Council, an oil and natural gas industry advisory body to the Department of Energy, to submit a report to Congress and the Energy Department assessing the state of U.S. petrochemical refineries. The report sought by Latta would include their contribution to energy security, capacity projections, opportunities for expansion and any federal or state policies that have caused refining capacity to decline. The report would also discuss recommendations to increase capacity.

“As energy demand grows, we have to ensure our refining capacity grows with it to maintain America’s energy dominance,” said Latta, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s energy subcommittee. “The REFINER Act will provide the data and insight needed to guide decisions that reinforce our energy infrastructure and help keep fuel costs low for American families.”

Democrats ridiculed the legislation as unnecessary and biased, noting it tasks an oil and gas industry group rather than the Department of Energy with producing the report.

“In my opinion, it asks the National Petroleum Council to do something it can already do on its own,” said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the Energy and Commerce Committee’s top Democrat. “Makes absolutely no sense.”

Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said the bill was “a recipe for higher electric bills” and criticized Republicans for bringing it up while Americans struggle with rising costs.

“It asks the National Petroleum Council, a council that is made up of members from the oil and gas industry, to create a report that says that the United States needs more oil and gas,” said Castor.

Latta said the legislation addresses a crisis in which North America has lost an estimated one million barrels of fuel per day due to low refining capacity. The report would detail the role of refineries in U.S. energy security, analyze current capacity and expansion opportunities, identify risks to refineries, and assess any government actions that have contributed to declining capacity.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.