Washington policymakers postpone markup of energy legislation

Congressional leaders Wednesday said they were postponing most legislative action, although a joint session was expected to issue a resolution condemning the Tuesday terrorist attacks. Postponed until further notice was the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources markup of comprehensive energy legislation.

Sept. 12, 2001

2 min read

By the OGJ Online Staff

WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 12 -- One day after a deadly terrorist attack against the US financial and military centers, the White House and Capitol Hill were open for business although the agenda has shifted from budget rhetoric and energy legislation to national security concerns.

Congressional leaders Wednesday said they were postponing most legislative action, although a joint session was expected to issue a resolution condemning the Tuesday terrorist attacks.

Postponed until further notice was the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources markup of comprehensive energy legislation. Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) had planned for the committee to work on a portion of the bill that would have clarified and expanded federal authority over interstate electrical transmission lines.

Similarly, the House Energy and Commerce Committee postponed a Sept. 11 hearing on electric transmission authority.

The Senate markup and the House hearing will be rescheduled after consultation with committee members, spokesmen said.

All legislative activity was suspended Tuesday after an airplane crashed into the Pentagon.

The US military escorted lawmakers to an undisclosed bunker about 75 miles west of Washington for security reasons.

After intelligence reports indicated the passed, congressmen returned to Capitol Hill where leaders from both the Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate told reporters they supported President George W. Bush's promise to punish the terrorists.

"I've directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice," the President said in a nationwide televised address late Tuesday. "We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them."

The President and some members of Congress have called the attacks "an act of war" but until more information becomes available about the responsible parties, the White House does not plan to seek congressional approval for retaliatory acts. The White House has asked Capitol Hill for "unlimited" financial resources to respond to the terrorist actions.