With the Senate’s strong approval of a comprehensive energy bill, political observers are waiting for conferees to be named to work out significant differences between the House and Senate measures.
A Senate floor vote could come by Feb. 5 on a sweeping energy bill, which, if enacted, would be the first comprehensive energy legislation to make it through Congress since 2007.
In separate but related actions, the Obama administration and a bipartisan group of senators have taken steps to break through the logjam over the long-term storage and disposal of high-level radioactive waste.
The Senate has narrowly rejected a proposed extension of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline, falling one vote short of the 60 needed to end debate on a bill that would authorize the project to proceed.
The presidentially appointed National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil spill co-chairs William K. Reilly and Bob Graham gave compelling testimony on the need for “systemic” changes in the oversight, regulation and culture in the offshore energy production industry at the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee hearing Jan. 26.
A battle is brewing in the Senate over Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski’s proposed “resolution of disapproval” to block the Environmental Protection Agency from moving forward with plans to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Murkowski’s proposal, introduced on Jan. 21, expresses congressional disapproval for EPA’s finding issued late last year that greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and welfare. The resolution would need Senate and House approval and President Obama’s signature before taking effect. At least 25 Republicans and Democrats Ben Nelson (Neb.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Mary Landrieu (La.) back Murkowski’s measure. It needs
