democratic Press
Our complaints about the process that Republicans have followed in the energy conference are well known and widely reported. So, as you start thinking about “setting the table” for next…
Most of you received the second discussion draft of the various provisions in the energy bill that GOP staff thus far have negotiated in their Cheney Task Force-like discussions. A…
Here is a “dear colleague” letter from Sens. Daschle, Bingaman and Reid on the Alaska natural gas pipeline. It urges Senators to support the provisions that are necessary to make…
We understand a notice has circulated referencing a request that Congressman Dingell, who leads the House Democrats in the energy conference, made to Sen. Pete Domenici, who is chairing the…
Yesterday, a Wall Street Journal editorial asserted that a majority of the Senate supports drilling in ANWR and suggested that Sen. Daschle would soften his opposition to drilling in ANWR…
Last week, Republican staff who are secretly negotiating the energy bill admitted that a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) would not be included in the conference report. If these staffers have…
Because of Hurricane Isabel’s expected track through D.C. today and tomorrow, this Update, sadly, will be the last one this week. The storm has postponed the energy conference staff meetings…
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) on the Senate Energy Committee’s vote today re: Suedeen Kelly’s pending nomination to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: “It is in the national interest for the…
Staffs of Republican and Democratic energy conferees, plus relevant committee staff, are planning to meet every day this week to review various “discussion drafts” for the conference report — text…
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, top Democrat on the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, in a floor speech today didn’t mince words re: the recent commercial exploitation of the National Mall,…
Today, Senate Energy Committee’s majority staff briefed reporters on Sen. Domenici’s decision regarding the conduct of negotiations for the energy conference. As we understand it, the negotiations will be conducted,…
Late today, staffs for Chairman Domenici and Chairman Tauzin released draft language on a variety of second-tier sections in the energy bill — language that GOP drafted secretly over the…
This second pre-conference update also focuses on – what else? – electricity. While yesterday’s message spelled out how the Senate’s energy bill would deal with infrastructure protection and reliability, this…
Since “pre-conferencing” on energy has started, we figured “Pre-Conference Updates” might be helpful. This first one deals with provisions in the recently passed energy bill that would upgrade the national…
Many of you will be writing on last week’s monster power outage for a long time to come. Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s reaction from last Friday follows. Bingaman is the top…
After five months attempting to craft energy legislation, the GOP today decided they did not have the bipartisan support they needed, so they turned to the Bingaman-Daschle energy bill that…
The Senate is now considering a substitute amendment that Senator Domenici has offered for his electricity title. Democrats believe its protections are inadequate to protect consumers in these trying times….
“FERC’s action today to streamline the licensing of hydroelectric projects is certainly welcome. Hydropower plays a central role in our nation’s energy mix, and dam relicensing has become an unduly…
While we calmly await a return to action on the energy bill, Dem staffers are putting the final polish on amendments that will improve S. 14 by adding what is…
The Energy Department today unveiled its “Smart Energy Campaign,” an effort which includes an array of energy-saving initiatives for homeowners, consumers and businesses, including a new website, regional energy summits,…
Consumers have the potential to save money on their electricity bills if utilities install “smart meters.” That’s because the price of producing electricity varies at different times of the day….
Striking the right balance among energy, environment and the economy has been a long-standing concern in the Senate and in society. A prime weakness of S. 14, the Republican energy…
When Congress gavels closed today, the Senate will begin a week-long recess to honor Independence Day. I suspect that many of you who cover energy may still be at work…
With sky high natural gas prices due to tight supplies/strong demand, and with even higher prices looming later this year, and on the eve of DOE’s Natural Gas Summit, worried…
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM, ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee), joined by Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), today introduced legislation to help prevent fires in national forests and on…