Congress may scrap Energy Bill, pass parts
ALBUQUERQUE, Apr 15, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX)
Congress has begun the process of breaking up the Energy Bill and taking up
individual provisions leaders believe can be passed on their own merits.
Speaking at the Western Governors Association energy summit in Albuquerque, Sen.
Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said Thursday Congress has not given up on the idea of
building an overall energy policy even though the bill aimed at doing just that
was languishing in the Senate and considered a long shot to ever come up for a
vote.
Bingaman said the Energy Bill's provisions covering electricity reliability
and energy taxes were being removed from the bill and would be either offered on
their own or attached to other legislation.
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Energy Committee said that despite the
partisan deadlock over some parts of the Energy Bill, there were plenty of
important provisions that had solid support on Capitol Hill.
News Provided By
Copyright 2004 by United Press International.