A comprehensive energy bill on the Senate floor is moving slower than expected, as the chamber plods through 200 amendments in a process expected to last the rest of the week, according to the senate’s energy chief.
Energy committee chairwoman Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Monday she had hoped they could have cleared more than just the eleven amendments to the bill that were approved last week.
“Eleven is a good number, but honestly I had hoped that we would have been able to process more amendments last week,” the energy chief said in a floor speech. “I want to move forward and process even more over these next couple days.”
Those eleven represented the least controversial of the riders. This week’s amendments are set to draw much more partisan fire, including one supported by the Democratic leadership to provide $600 million to aid the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, as well as one to roll back the administration’s new rules on coal mining.
Last week senators approved a number of bits and pieces, including one nuclear energy R&D, a carbon capture research award, and a report on crude oil exports, among others. Most experienced broad bipartisan support.
In addition to the $600 million Flint package, the California delegation also wants an amendment added that formalizes the federal government’s response to an ongoing methane gas leak in Las Angeles. It is unclear if there is wide enough support from the GOP to back the measures. It is also not clear if Democrats will attempt to block the energy bill if the measures are not included.
The Republican leadership is urging the chamber to keep the bill as bipartisan as possible.
“This is bipartisan legislation that provides a common-sense approach to help Americans produce more energy, pay less for energy and save energy, all without raising taxes or adding to deficit,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. “Let’s keep working to move this process forward. Let’s keep working to pass this bipartisan bill.”
The broad energy bill, the Energy Modernization Act, would expedite the federal approval process for natural gas exports, provide new ways to protect the electric grid from cyber attack, improve research and development for advanced vehicles, while also rolling back a number of measures that the White House does not agree with.
The White House, however, did not say the president will veto the measure, but wants to work with the Congress to to work out the rough edges.
