KF27 15545 1974d COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE HARLEY O. STAGGERS, West Virginia, Chairman TORBERT H. MACDONALD, Massachusetts JOHN JARMAN, Oklahoma PAUL G. ROGERS, Florida LIONEL VAN DEERLIN, California J. J. PICKLE, Texas FRED B. ROONEY, Pennsylvania DAVID E. SATTERFIELD III, Virginia W. S. (BILL) STUCKEY, JR., Georgia BOB ECKHARDT, Texas JOHN BRECKINRIDGE, Kentucky SAMUEL L. DEVINE, Ohio JAMES T. BROYHILL, North Carolina JAMES F. HASTINGS, New York JOHN Y. MCCOLLISTER, Nebraska BARRY M. GOLDWATER, JR., California H. JOHN HEINZ III, Pennsylvania EDWARD R. MADIGAN, Illinois CONTENTS Allen, Frank C., Chief, Bureau of Natural Gas, FPC........ Fike, Claudius L., Director, Office of Personnel Programs, FPC.. Lotkin, Ralph L., Office of General Counsel, GAO.. Lowe, Victor L., Director, General Government Division, GAO.. 6.5 Moss, Hon. John E., a Representative in Congress from the State of Nassikas, Hon. John N., Chairman, FPC... Peterson, Robert A., Assistant Director, General Government Divi- Plumb, Kenneth F., Secretary, FPC- Figures on weighted average price of all natural gas sales com- Letter dated October 4, 1974, from SEC Chairman Ray Garrett, Jr., to FPC Chairman John N. Nassikas, advising of SEC investigation into securities trading activities of certain FPC Letter dated October 22, 1974, addressed to Chairman Staggers Natural gas curtailment figures, 1973-75---- Subcommittee on Investigations: Letter dated September 30, 1974, from the Hon. IIarley O. Staggers to SEC Chairman Ray Garrett, Jr., requesting an investigation into securities trading activities of certain FPC Letter dated October 4, 1974, from SEC Chairman Ray Garrett, Jr., to the Hon. Harley O. Staggers, Chairman, Special Sub- committee on Investigations, advising an investigation will be conducted into securities trading activities of certain FPC Letter dated October 2, 1974, from FPC Chairman John N. Nassikas to the Hon. Harley O. Staggers, Chairman, Special Subcommittee on Investigations, re SEC investigation of securities holdings of certain FPC officials.. Letter dated October 2, 1974, from FPC Chairman John N. Nassikas to SEC Chairman Ray Garrett, Jr., re request for SEC investigation of prohibited securities holdings by certain Relevant portions of Rule XI and House Resolution 182- Title XVIII, section 208, United States Code_-_- III. GAO report entitled, "Need for Improving the Regulation of the CONFLICT OF INTEREST, EMERGENCY GAS SALES, AND OTHER INTERNAL PROCEDURES OF THE FPC WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1974 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:30 p.m., in room 2123, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Harley O. Staggers (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. You wonder perhaps why we are not starting. We have a program on the floor in which most of the members were interested. We did not know it was going to take this long. I thought it would be over in about 30 minutes, but it looks like it is taking a little longer than we anticipated, so we will have to bear with it until we get another member before we can get started. The committee will come to order. We will start the hearings, although we only have the two of us. The others will be here shortly because the program is still in session on the floor, but we will get started. With today's hearing, the Special Subcommittee on Investigations begins a broad legislative oversight inquiry into the practices and procedures of the Federal Power Commission. Under rule 11 of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce is responsible for the adequacy and effectiveness of the laws administered by the Federal Power Commission. We are also required by that rule to maintain a continuing review of how the Commission fulfills its responsibilities under those laws. The witnesses at this hearing have been supplied with a copy of the relevant portions of rule 11 as well as House Resolution 182, from which this subcommittee derives its investigative authority. Unless there is objection, and in the interest of saving time, I will direct that the relevant portions of rule XI and House Resolution 182 be inserted in the record at this point. [The information referred to follows:] SELECTED PROVISIONS OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RULE XI. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEES All proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the subject listed under the standing committees named below shall be referred to such committees respectively: (1) (d) Interstate oil compacts and petroleum and natural gas, except on the public lands. (e) Public health and quarantine. (f) Railroad labor and railroad retirement and unemployment, except revenue measures relating thereto. (g) Regulation of interstate and foreign communications. (h) Regulation of interstate and foreign transportation, except transportation by water not subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission. (i) Regulation of interstate transmission of power, except the installation of connections between Government water-power projects. (j) Securities and exchanges. (k) Weather Bureau. 28. (a) In order to assist the House in (1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of the application, administration, and execution of the laws enacted by the Congress, and (2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of such modifications of or changes in those laws, and of such additional legislation, as may be necessary or appropriate. each standing committee shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration, and execution of those laws, or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of that committee. (b) Each standing committee shall submit to the House, not later than January 2 of each odd-numbered year beginning on or after January 1, 1973, a report on the activities of that committee under this clause during the Congress ending at noon on January 3 of such year. (c) The preceding provisions of this clause do not apply to the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on House Administration, the Committee on Rules, and the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. (d) Each standing committee of the House shall, in its consideration of all bills and joint resolutions of a public character within its jurisdiction, endeavor to insure that (1) all continuing programs of the Federal Government and of the government of the District of Columbia, within the jurisdiction of that committee are designed; and (2) all continuing activities of Government agencies, within the jurisdiction of that committee, are carried on; so that, to the extent consistent with the nature, requirements, and objectives of those programs and activities, appropriations therefor will be made annually. For the purposes of this paragraph, a Government agency includes the organizational units of government listed in paragraph (d) of clause 7 of rule XIII. (e) Each standing committee of the House shall review, from time to time, each continuing program within its jurisdiction for which appropriations are not made annually in order to ascertain whether such program could be modified so that appropriations therefor would be made annually. H. RES. 182, 93D CONG., 1ST SESS. In the House of Representatives, January 31, 1973 Mr. Staggers submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules, February 20, 1973; reported with an amendment, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered to be printed, February 21, 1973; considered, amended, and agreed to. Resolution Resolved. That, effective January 3, 1973, the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, acting as a whole or by subcommittee, is authorized to conduct full and complete studies and investigations and make inquiries within its jurisdiction as set forth in clause 12 of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. However, the committee shall not undertake any investigation of any subject which is being investigated for the same purpose by any other committee of the House. |