REP. JOHN DOOLITTLE (R-CA)

On November 12 and November 22, 1993, Rep. Doolittle purchased between 1,000 and 15,000 dollars worth of stock in Dominion Resources (the Virginia-based electric utility).

One month earlier, the District of Columbia government and Hampton Cross (Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs) scrapped an application by Georgetown University for a cogeneration power plant (to be built by Dominion Energy, a subsidiary of Dominion Resources). The District officials cited concerns over electromagnetic fields as their reason for scrapping the application.

This decision created a wave of protest throughout the electric power industry. Dominion Energy has filed suit against the DC government, Mayor Sharon Kelly, three members of the City Council and two DCRA officials for 80 million dollars. Georgetown University sought assistance from Rep. Pelosi (D-CA) who sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee for the District of Columbia. Rep. Pelosi serves District 8 in California; Rep. Doolittle serves District 4--a stone's throw to the East of Rep. Pelosi (probably nothing significant, but curious nonetheless).

On October 28, 1993 (15 days before Rep. Doolittle's initial purchase), a bill was introduced in the House (referred to 12 House committees including two that Rep. Doolittle's sits on--House Agriculture and House Natural Resources) that appears to have a connection to the cogeneration power plant issue described above. The bill was H.R. 3400: GOVERNMENT REFORM AND SAVINGS ACT (Pending). In this bill we find, "Subtitle B: Federal-Private Cogeneration of Electricity...Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to modify the definition of 'energy savings' to include increased efficiency from cogeneration processes for other than federally owned buildings or other federally owned facilities."

Rep. Doolittle's second purchase (November 22, 1993) was the same day that the House voted to PASS H.R. 3400. Rep. Doolittle voted AYE on H.R. 3400.

NOTES: Rep. Doolittle is # 9 on the House Natural Resources Committee; he is # 3 on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.