Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski asked energy advocates for assistance in pressuring lawmakers to finish a comprehensive energy bill by the end of the year.
The Alaska Republican delivered the keynote address at the Alliance to Save Energy’s Great Energy Efficiency Day. She was there to speak about the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, a comprehensive reform of the nation’s energy policy that is being hashed out in a conference committee.
Murkowski didn’t give many clues into how negotiations are progressing, but told the crowd at the nonpartisan energy group’s conference that they need to play a role.
She asked the crowd to write letters of support for the bill and write op-eds to keep lawmakers working on the bill.
“This is an imperative. This is something we have to get done before Congress wraps up at the end of this year,” she said. “We have to keep our foot to the pedal, and you keeping the pressure on us is a good thing.”
The Senate and the House both have passed the comprehensive energy reform bill, but they are two very different versions. While the Senate’s bill included priorities of both parties, including provisions to expedite natural gas exports and increased investments in renewable energy, the House bill passed with a vote close to party lines and doesn’t include many Democratic priorities.
The Senate bill expedites the approval of natural gas exports, requires increased energy efficiency in buildings and increases research on energy-storage technologies. It also would make several small changes that aim to increase electric grid reliability while keeping costs low.
The House version of the bill contained some of those proposals, but Democrats criticized it for language they say will increase fossil fuel dependence. Democrats also don’t like that the House bill stripped out some of the proposals to increase renewable energy use and energy efficiency and that it doesn’t address climate change.
Murkowski said she is pressing lawmakers to work quickly on the bill. Congress is in session next week before breaking for October to go home and campaign. After the election, there will only be a few weeks in the lame-duck session before having to start all over.
“I have no interest at all in saying we almost made it, because then we start over next year,” she said. “And then it’s going to be 12 years since we updated our energy policies. What we want to do is make that start, and that start happens when this bill becomes law.”
