US Senate leader says energy bill debate 'unlikely' in May

Washington (Platts)--3May2007

US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Thursday said it is "unlikely"
the Senate will debate an energy bill before June.

The Nevada Democrat had vowed to take up energy legislation before the
Memorial Day weekend beginning May 26, but other priorities, including passing
an Iraq funding bill, an immigration bill, a water resources authorization
bill, and possibly the fiscal 2008 budget have pushed energy to the periphery.

"I think it's pretty unlikely at this stage," Reid said, of taking up the
energy bill before the Senate adjourns for a week-long break at the end of
this month. Other issues in June, such as a defense authorization bill and
appropriations bills, could also serve to sideline the energy bill, he said.

Senate Democrats, however, have said they want to move quickly on the
energy measure.

The House would have to pass a similar measure now in the works in the
energy committee and the two measures would have to be combined into a single
bill by House and Senate negotiators before it could go to the president for
his signature.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday approved a
bill encouraging energy efficiency, renewable fuels and carbon sequestration
by a 20-3 vote, but several contentious issues await debate on the Senate
floor.

Republican lawmakers, who were rebuffed in their efforts to add an
amendment setting a 21-billion-gallon annual coal-to-liquids mandate by 2022,
threatened to hold up the bill on the Senate floor if the proposal does not
receive full debate.

Senator Jim Bunning, Republican-Kentucky, an amendment co-sponsor, said
if Democrats try to block consideration of a CTL mandate, "then the bill is in
deep trouble."

--Daniel Whitten, daniel_whitten@platts.com