The Senate crossed a major procedural hurdle Tuesday to move ahead a comprehensive energy bill that has been stalled for weeks. A final vote is expected as soon as Tuesday night.
In a show of bipartisanship, the Senate voted 97-0 to proceed on the Energy Policy Modernization Bill Tuesday afternoon, beginning a scramble to approve amendments before voting on final passage.
“Moving forward with this act will help America produce more energy, and at the same time it will help Americans save more money and save energy with all of the energy-efficiency provisions,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and author of the bill.
“It will strengthen our status as the best innovator in the world, and it will bring us another step closer to becoming a global energy superpower.”
The bill would expedite the approval of natural gas exports, increase energy efficiency in buildings, and increase research on energy storage technologies as well as make a number of tweaks to enhance the electric grid’s reliability while trying to keep energy costs low.
The Chamber of Commerce is urging members to put aside their differences and vote to pass the bill.
“America’s energy landscape has changed dramatically since Congress last passed a multititle energy bill, and it is crucial that federal energy policy reflect these changes in order to maximize and prolong the benefits the recent energy renaissance is producing,” Bruce Josten, the Chamber’s executive vice president for government affairs wrote in a “key vote” letter sent Tuesday to senators. “This bill takes important steps to address many areas of high priority for American businesses, including natural gas exports, efficiency and infrastructure.”
Nevertheless, the nation’s biggest business lobby said it is disappointed that lawmakers failed to include a provision in the bill that would share a greater portion of government revenue from offshore drilling with states.
The provision, called “revenue sharing,” has been contentious in the past but has continued to be a priority for Murkowski.
Josten said he is pleased that the Senate has agreed to consider the matter in separate legislation. “These provisions would provide much-needed funding for states for priorities like infrastructure, public safety, and education,” he said.
