Senate Passes Energy Bill, Conference with House Next
28 June 2005
On a vote of 85–12, 3 not voting, the Senate passed its version of the Energy Bill. Senators McCain and Lieberman, who had proposed a climate change amendment that was defeated, voted ”Nay“ and abstained, respectively.
Before debate on the Bill closed last week, the Senate approved by Unanimous Consent 18 additional amendments to the final package that was approved today.
Among that final flight of amendments were several on synthetic and biofuels, and one, from Freshman Illinois Senator Obama, for the development of flex-fuel hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
| Selected Final Amendments to Senate Energy Bill S. 10 | |
|---|---|
| Primary Sponsor | Description |
| Obama (D-IL) | Accepted. To require the Secretary of Energy to establish an applied research program to improve technologies fore the commercialization of (1) a combination hybrid/flex-fuel vehicle or (2) a plug-in hybrid/flex-fuel vehicle. Grants would be awarded on the basis of the greatest increase in fuel economy, with preference given to proposals that achieve not less than 250 mpg. |
| Obama (D-IL) | Accepted. To establish a program to develop Fischer-Tropsch fuels from Illinois-basin coal. |
| Cochran (R-MS) | Accepted. To include waste-derived ethanol and biodiesel in definitions (for legislative purposes) of the fuels. |
| Harkin (D-IA) | Accepted. To provide for the widespread deployment and commercialization of biomass-based fuels and products. |
| Schumer (D-NY) | Accepted.. To develop and to implement a national tire fuel efficiency program for tires designed for passenger cars and light trucks. |
| Jeffords (I-VT) | Accepted. To require the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the Administrator of the EPA in the conduct of a coal-bed methane study. |
| Salazar (D-CO) | Accepted. To carry out a demonstration project based on Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) technology (in a Western state at an altitude of greater than 4,000 feet above sea level). |
| Vitter (R-LA) | Accepted. To require the Secretary of Energy to carry out a study and compile existing science to determine the risks or benefits presented by cumulative impacts of multiple offshore liquefied natural gas facilities reasonably assumed to be constructed in an area of the Gulf of Mexico using the open-rack vaporization system. |
The Senate Bill provides some $16 billion in tax incentives over the next decade, double that of the incentives in the House version. The two bills now go to conference to work out the final package.
Resources:
- Obama Flex-Fuel/Plug-in Hybrid Commercialization Amendment
- Obama Fischer-Tropsch Amendment
- Cochran Waste-derived Fuels Amendment
- Harkin Biomass R&D Amendment
- Schumer Motor Vehicle Tire Efficiency Amendment
- Jeffords Coal-Bed Methane Study Amendment
- Salazar IGCC Amendment
- Vitter LNG Open-Rack System Study
- CBO Cost Estimate of S. 10
- Joint Committee on Taxation Estimated Revenue Effect of Energy Tax Incentives
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