Summary: H.R. 11678 addresses many of the issues concerning the need for national energy analysis that GAO has addressed over the past several years. There are five crucial steps to national energy planning which are required to put the Nation's long-range energy needs in perspective and design effective energy policy: (1) development of a set of realistic projections to show what the energy future will be like without new policy initiatives; (2) debate by Congress of the implications of national energy trends revealed by the projections; (3) development by Congress of realistic energy goals and objectives; (4) development and analysis of a wide range of policy options; and (5) establishment of a set of standby programs. An organization such as the Institute for Long-Range Energy Policy Analysis could play a constructive role in implementing these recommendations. Enactment of H.R. 11678 at this time is not recommended, but Congress should give serious consideration to planning the Nation's energy future. Language changes to the proposed legislation are included.
