NOPEC

The No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2001 (NOPEC) was a legislative proposal designed to allow the U.S. government to take legal action against foreign nations for manipulating oil prices. It would have amended the Sherman Antitrust Act to make it illegal for foreign states to work together to limit the production or set the price of petroleum products.

For everyday citizens, the bill aimed to lower and stabilize energy costs by preventing international cartels, such as OPEC, from artificially restricting the global oil supply. By removing the "sovereign immunity" that typically protects foreign governments from being sued in U.S. courts, the bill would have empowered the Department of Justice to challenge price-fixing practices that contribute to high gas prices and heating costs. Although the bill was introduced with bipartisan support, it was never enacted into law.