07-14-2001
ENERGY: House GOP Refines Energy Strategy
Two key House committees this week began pumping the first pieces of
President Bush's energy policy through the legislative pipeline after
dropping a few contentious provisions that threatened to stall action. On
July 9, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman W.J. "Billy"
Tauzin, R-La., and ranking member John D. Dingell, D-Mich., struck a deal
on the framework of a far-reaching bill that would bolster the nuclear
power and hydroelectric industries, while boosting efforts to promote
conservation and energy efficiency. On July 12, they struck another deal
to boost fuel-efficiency standards for automobiles. In order to reach the
deals, Tauzin skipped controversial electric restructuring issues and the
reauthorization of liability relief for the nuclear power industry. The
agreements allowed Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee Chairman Joe
Barton, R-Texas, to begin marking up legislation. Meanwhile, Resources
Committee Chairman James V. Hansen, R-Utah, introduced an
energy-production bill on July 10 that seeks to open up the 1.5
million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.
Hansen plans committee votes on the bill next week. The schedule puts the
two chairmen on track to bring comprehensive energy legislation to the
House floor by the end of the month. But the Democrat-controlled Senate
has laid out a slower timetable. Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., does not plan to schedule
committee votes on the White House energy plan until the end of
July.
Brody Mullins/CongressDaily
National Journal
