07-28-2001
ENERGY: Bush Energy Package Faces Problems
After muscling President Bush's energy package past some Democratic
resistance in four House committees last week, Republicans this week
realized they must deal with one more problem before bringing the bill to
the House floor: themselves. The GOP leadership worked to merge the four
separate committee-approved bills into one package that can be considered
on the floor next week. But several Republican committee chairmen took
issue with some parts of the bill drafted by other committees. The Energy
and Commerce Committee and the Science Committee, for example, took
different approaches on how to encourage the development of
cleaner-burning coal. Both measures would give the coal industry about $2
billion for research and development. But the Science Committee bill
includes strict environmental safeguards that would ensure the industry
properly uses the funds. On another issue, the Appropriations Committee
objects to an Energy and Commerce provision that changes the way that
nuclear-waste spending is accounted for in the budget. Separately, a group
of GOP moderates has demanded up-or-down floor votes on the most
controversial parts of the plan, such as provisions dealing with auto
fuel-efficiency standards and with drilling in Alaska's Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge. Republican leaders hope to settle the intraparty problems
by early next week so that the House can approve the bill before the
August recess. Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, D-S.D., said this
week that his chamber will consider energy legislation in
September.
Brody Mullins/CongressDaily
National Journal
