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senate majority leader

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SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV., SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, HOLDS A MEDIA AVAILABILITY AFTER CLOSED POLICY LUNCHEON – Political Transcript Wire

By renewable energies Master feed ⋅ February 2, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV., SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, HOLDS A MEDIA
AVAILABILITY FOLLOWING A CLOSED POLICY LUNCHEON FEBRUARY 2, 2010 SPEAKER: SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV., SENATE MAJORITY LEADER REID: Just had lunch, feel great, powerful. What did I have?
Rockefeller salad — something he

SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV., SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, AND SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR KEN SALAZAR HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE ON SOLAR ENERGY – Political Transcript Wire

By renewable energies Master feed ⋅ June 30, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR KEN SALAZAR AND SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV.,
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN LAS VEGAS ON
SOLAR ENERGY JUNE 29, 2009 SPEAKERS: SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR KEN SALAZAR SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV., SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MADISON BURNETT, TRAINING

One Vote Short; Senate Fails to Proceed With Federal Energy Bill

By Geoff Hand, Attorney ⋅ December 12, 2007 ⋅ Post a comment

The Hill is reporting that the Senate vote to proceed with the energy bill fell short by one vote, 59-40. According to the article, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to strip out the renewable energy tax package and try to pass the remainder of the bill this afternoon.

CNN also has a report on the vote.

U.S. House Approves 2007 Federal Energy Bill; Senate Cloture Vote Expected Saturday

By Geoff Hand, Attorney ⋅ December 5, 2007 ⋅ Post a comment

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the energy bill (H.R. 6) on a vote of 235-181.

The AP reports:

The House approved the first increase in federal automobile fuel efficiency requirements in three decades Thursday as part of an energy bill that also repeals billions of dollars oil company tax breaks and encourages use of renewable fuels. The bill, passed by a vote of 235-181, faces a certain filibuster in the Senate and a veto threat from the White House.

Democrats characterized the legislation as “a new direction” in U.S. energy policy away from dependence on fossil fuels. But Republicans said the actions amount to government mandates that would lead to higher energy prices, while doing little to produce more domestic oil or natural gas – fuels they say will remain essential for decades to come.

The action now shifts over to the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid apparently wants to move soon on the bill, according a report earlier today from E&E Daily (subscription required):

Reid wants the Senate to act quickly when and if the House passes the bill. He said on the Senate floor Wednesday that he plans to file for cloture — which means cutting off debate — on the bill today. A spokesman said a Saturday cloture vote is likely. The timing of a subsequent vote on the bill itself is not clear.

David Roberts over at Gristmill has a similar report.

Federal Energy Bill in Legislative Limbo

By Geoff Hand, Attorney ⋅ November 13, 2007 ⋅ Post a comment
The New York Times editorial this morning asks: Where’s That Energy Bill?
Two months ago, Washington was filled with hope that Congress would produce an energy bill that would begin to address the two great challenges of oil dependency and climate change. Each chamber had approved respectable if incomplete measures that could be combined in one outstanding bill. Then the bills disappeared into the back rooms as Democratic leaders tried to negotiate a final product.

These talks have now reached a dangerous point. With both houses feeling pressure to do something — anything — to deal with high oil prices, there’s a real danger that one or more essential provisions could be dropped just for the sake of producing a bill.

According to the NYT, a number of important provisions in the competing House and Senate bills may be on the chopping-block, including the CAFE fuel efficiency provision, the renewable portifolio standard provision, and the production tax credit provisions. There’s also talk of moving the Renewable Fuels Standard to the Senate agriculture bill.

National Public Radio interviewed several key legislators on the status of the energy bill yesterday. Republican leadership in the Senate is blocking appointment of a conference committee to resolve differences in the House and Senate energy bills, but informal negotations are on-going. Speaker Pelosi hopes to have a compormise bill before Thanksgiving; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid thinks they’ll be lucky to have a bill by Chirstmas break.

WattHead and Gristmill have more on what may be going on behind closed Capitol doors.

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