NO ENERGY BILL TO GIVE THANKS FOR?

Senator Bingaman made no mention of the rumored deal between Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) and Bingaman’s New Mexico colleague Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) on loan guarantees for new nuclear energy. But he did say he expects to get to a filibuster-proof 60 votes on the final energy bill. After talking turkey.

Bingaman says energy bill needs more time
Nick Snow, November 5, 2007 (Oil & Gas Journal)
and
Senator: No energy bill debate this month
David Ivanovich, November 5, 2007 (Houston Chronicle)

WHO
US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)

WHAT
Bingaman, in the know, says there will be no energy bill brought before the House or Senate before the Thanksgiving recess.

Ironically, this editorial cartoon ran during the fight over the 2005 energy bill. Two years later, the Democrats control both houses by narrow margins and are trying to carve the turkey but the big fossil fuels lobbies may have cooked the bird too tough to slice. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- Bingaman made his remarks November 5.
- Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi continues to assert she will get an energy bill sent to the President by the end of 2007.

WHERE
Bingaman made his remarks at a press breakfast sponsored by Energy Daily and the American Gas Association, which explains why his comments largely pertained to oil and gas issues.

WHY
- Bingaman said there has been progress on energy efficiency and public lands issues.
- Conflicts over tax incentives still present. Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees' staffs are working on them. The house bill would move $16 billion in oil and gas industry incentives to renewable energies.
- The House bill would also create a national Renewable Electricity Standard mandating that US utilities obtain 15% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The Senate rejected this idea thought its bill does have an incentives package for renewable energy.
- The Senate bill contains a Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standard that raises mileage requirements for cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles to 35 mpg by 2020. The House refused to consider a CAFÉ standard.
- Bingaman believes the final bill will have enough Republican support beat the filibuster threat and get to 60 votes.

Watch out Capitol Hill: This is what the American people will elect in 2008 if they don't get New Energy in this year's bill.

QUOTES
- Bingaman, on getting the bill to debate before the Thanksgiving break: "…given the amount of time and competition from other issues, I don't think it looks likely…I just don't see how we get it done…"
- Bingaman, on the conflicts about tax incentives: "The House's tax package was substantially smaller than the Senate Finance Committee's. I think both staffs are looking at all possible offsets but haven't settled on which will be in the final bill…"
- Bingaman, on whether the bill will have incentives for domestic fuels production: "Most of those charges have no basis in fact. There are incentives to produce more biofuels. I think most of this criticism is directed toward provisions in the House bill. I don't think they'd have much impact…"
- Bingaman, on President Bush’s role in developing the energy bill: "I don't think there's been a lot of forward-leaning by the administration to get Republican members to support energy legislation."