HOUSE SPEAKER BACKS OIL IMPORT FORECAST PLAN
House Speaker Jim Wright endorsed a
proposal to require the president to take action to reduce oil
imports if they threaten to top 50 pct of U.S. consumption.
    Wright told reporters the plan by Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, a
fellow Texas Democrat, was positive and useful. Oil imports
peaked in 1977 at 47 pct, were short of 36 pct last year and
this year are up over 40 pct, Bentsen said. 
    The Bentsen proposal, supported by 24 other Senators, would
would require the president to issue annual three-year oil
import forecasts. In any year they threatened to top 50 pct, he
would be ordered to propose quotas or other solution.
   
 Reuter
