Is the U.S. Running Out of Gas?

Just over four and a half years ago several Democratic senators tried to persuade the Nixon Administration that the nation’s energy situation was becoming so severe that a blue ribbon study commission should immediately be appointed to look into the matter. The response of the White House was essentially, Calm down, Chicken Little.

The senators were not to be deterred. If that’s how you feel, Mr. President, we will conduct our own study, they said in effect. And so they did. On May 3, 1971, Senate Resolution 45 was adopted. It commissioned a National Fuels and Energy Study to be conducted on behalf of the United States Senate. The resolution specified the scope of the subject matter to be investigated and ordered that the study proceed under the leadership of the Senate Interior Committee with ex-officio representation to include the chairmen and ranking Republican members of the Committees on Public Works and Commerce, and two Senate members of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. Senate Resolution 45 mandated that a report, together with recommendations for legislation, be prepared by February 29, 1972.

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David P. Stang

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Just over four and a half years ago several Democratic senators tried to persuade the Nixon Administration that the nation’s energy situation was becoming so severe that a blue ribbon study commission should immediately be appointed to look into the matter. The response of the White House was essentially, Calm down, Chicken Little.

The senators were not to be deterred. If that’s how you feel, Mr. President, we will conduct our own study, they said in effect. And so they did. On May 3, 1971, Senate Resolution 45 was adopted. It commissioned a National Fuels and Energy Study to be conducted on behalf of the United States Senate. The resolution specified the scope of the subject matter to be investigated and ordered that the study proceed under the leadership of the Senate Interior Committee with ex-officio representation to include the chairmen and ranking Republican members of the Committees on Public Works and Commerce, and two Senate members of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. Senate Resolution 45 mandated that a report, together with recommendations for legislation, be prepared by February 29, 1972.