The conference committee trying to work out an agreement on a comprehensive energy bill in Congress will meet for the first time next week.
The Senate and House conferees will meet Thursday to discuss the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016. The bill will not amended, but it will be a chance for members of the conference committee to speak about what they would like to see in the negotiations over the final text.
The bill passed the Senate with an overwhelming vote in April and then made it through the House mostly on party lines in May. While the Senate version of the bill had large bipartisan support, Democrats criticized the House-passed version for inserting proposals they believe kowtow to the fossil fuel industry. The House passed its own comprehensive energy reform bill last year and inserted many of the proposals from that bill into the Senate legislation.
Republicans say the amended bill modernizes the country’s energy infrastructure, strengthens energy security, improves efficiency and helps lessen the impact of environmental regulation on businesses.
The bill also expedites liquefied natural gas exports, which Republicans say will help lessen the natural gas glut while strengthening the United States’ allies. There are also provisions in the bill to fight drought in California’s Central Valley and help western states fight wildfires.
Six pieces of legislation that have passed the House are included in the Senate bill.
If it passes, it would be the first time since 2007 that Congress has passed a comprehensive energy reform package.
