NOPEC

The No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2005 (NOPEC) would allow the U.S. government to take legal action against foreign nations that coordinate to control the price or supply of oil and natural gas. By amending federal antitrust laws, the bill would remove the "sovereign immunity" that currently protects foreign states from being sued in U.S. courts for price-fixing or limiting production.

For everyday citizens, this legislation is intended to lower energy costs by discouraging international oil cartels, such as OPEC, from artificially inflating prices. If enacted, the U.S. Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission could sue these nations for actions that restrict trade and lead to higher costs for gasoline and heating oil in the United States.