Senate leaders bypass committees to move energy legislation to floor

Senate leaders have opted to bypass the committee process to bring energy policy legislation to the floor this fall -- a bill that will not propose leasing of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain. Instead, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) will offer a proposed bill in the near future.

Oct. 10, 2001

3 min read

By the OGJ Online Staff

WASHINGTON, DC, Oct. 10 -- Senate leaders have opted to bypass the committee process to bring energy policy legislation to the floor this fall -- a bill that will not propose leasing of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain.

Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) invoked a seldom-used Senate rule Tuesday to require Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to offer a proposed energy bill, one that his committee will not be allowed to vote on.

Daschle then may introduce the proposal as legislation and bring it directly to the Senate floor, where it would be open to any and all amendments -- including one regarding ANWR.

The House of Representatives passed an energy reform bill earlier this year that, among other things, would allow ANWR leasing. The Senate energy panel has not acted as quickly, but was scheduled to begin markups next week. The Senate is due to adjourn in early November.

Many of the provisions of the House energy bill, when it reached the Senate, were referred to the Commerce, Finance, and Environment and Public Works committees. Like the energy panel, they also have not acted on the bill.

Bingaman said, "It has become increasingly clear to the majority leader and to me that much of what we are doing in our committee is starting to encroach on the jurisdictions of many other committees. Additionally, with the few weeks remaining in this session, it is now obvious to all how difficult it is going to be for these various committees to finish their work on energy-related provisions.

"Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Senate leadership sincerely wants to avoid quarrelsome, divisive votes in committee. At a time when Americans all over the world are pulling together with a sense of oneness and purpose, Congress has an obligation at the moment to avoid those contentious issues that divide, rather than unite, us."

Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alas.), the ranking Republican on the energy committee, protested. He said, "Such action by the Senate leadership is inappropriate at a time when our country is seeking unity on an energy policy, recognizing the vulnerability of our nation."

An energy committee spokesman said Bingaman plans to consult with other senators on the panel, and with the other committees of jurisdiction, before drafting a proposal. The spokesman explained, "He doesn't want it full of a lot of hot buttons and lightning rods."

As a framework, Bingaman is expected to use the energy policy bill he introduced earlier this year, which tilted more to conservation than to production provisions (OGJ Online, Mar. 22, 1001).

That bill excluded ANWR leasing. The spokesman said Bingaman's position has not changed on that issue. However, the senator favors construction of a pipeline to move North Slope gas to the Lower 48 states. The spokesman said, "It's a safe bet there will be something to encourage the pipeline, although the language probably will be neutral as to the route."

Bingaman has no deadline for submitting his proposal, but the spokesman said it would come "sooner rather than later."