NATURAL GAS HEARING BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON SEVENTY-FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 11662 TO REGULATE THE TRANSPORTATION AND SALE OF 82815 APRIL 2, 3, 7, 14, AND 15, 1936 Printed for the use of the UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1936 NATURAL GAS THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1936 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, in the committee rooms at 10 a. m., Hon. Clarence F. Lea presiding. Mr. LEA. The committee will be in order. We have met this morning for hearings on H. R. 11662, a bill to regulate the transportation and sale of natural gas in interstate commerce, and for other purposes. (The bill is as follows:) [H. R. 11662, 74th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To regulate the transportation and sale of natural gas in interstate commerce, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, NECESSITY FOR REGULATION OF NATURAL-GAS COMPANIES SECTION 1. (a) As disclosed in reports of the Federal Trade Commission made pursuant to S. Res. 83 (Seventieth Congress, first session) and other reports made pursuant to the authority of Congress, it is hereby declared that the business of transporting and selling natural gas for ultimate distribution to the public is affected with a public interest and that Federal regulation in matters relating to the transportation of natural gas and the sale thereof in interstate and foreign commerce is necessary in the public interest. (b) The provisions of this Act shall apply to the transportation of natural gas in high-pressure mains in interstate commerce and to natural-gas companies engaged in such transportation, but shall not apply to the distribution of natural gas moving locally in low-pressure mains or to the facilities used for such distribution or to the production of natural gas: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the Commission to fix rates or charges for the sale of natural gas distributed locally in low-pressure mains or for the sale of natural gas for industrial use only. SEC. 2. When used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— (1) "Person" includes an individual or a corporation. (2) "Corporation" includes any corporation, joint-stock company, partnership, association, business trust, organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not, receiver or receivers, trustee or trustees of any of the foregoing, but shall not include municipalities as hereinafter defined. (3) "Municipality" means a city, county, or other political subdivision or agency of a State. (4) "State" means a State admitted to the Union, the District of Columbia, and any organized Territory of the United States. (5) "Natural-gas company" means a person engaged in the transportation of natural gas in high-pressure mains in interstate commerce. (6) "Interstate commerce" means commerce between any point in a State and any point outside thereof, or between points within the same State but through 1 |