While the energy committee is central to any new legislation,
other panels have become more active since the US saw average
gasoline prices top $3/gal in early September. In mid-November, the
Commerce, Environment and Foreign Relations committees examined
alternative fuels and oil supplies.
The Commerce and Environment panels heard arguments for and
against a more-rapid shift to alternative fuels, while the
Foreign Relations Committee
continued its examination of the effect of US oil use on American
diplomacy and security.
To be sure, there are congressional opponents to boosting
renewable fuels and energy efficiency, whether because of cost,
loyalty to industry or use of mandates, rather than market
approaches. But farm-state lawmakers, including House Speaker J.
Dennis Hastert (Republican, Illinois) are a powerful bunch. In
addition, Bush has spoken at great length in favor of biofuels, both
in the 2004 campaign and in his push for an energy bill this year.
"There is nothing in here [in S. 2025] that runs against what the
administration has said ... . We see it as building on the Energy
Policy Act," Lieberman said.
The oil industry was much chagrined when Congress, which had been
considering a 5-bil-gal ethanol mandate, agreed to support a
7.5-bil-gal requirement this summer. "It's not as if they're not
going to be able to sell their product," Bayh said of the oil
companies, downplaying potential opposition. "We're going to consume
all the oil that they can discover and bring to market." However,
the oil industry
indicated they would put
up a fierce fight against new commitments to alternative fuels.
The 10 senators said they would avoid Arctic drilling and
Corporate Average Fuel Economy proposals, which have drawn
bipartisan opposition. "What we really tried to do with this bill is
to stay away from those things," said Sam Brownback (Republican,
Kansas). "You don't see ANWR in this bill -- and you don't see
CAFE [corporate average
fuel economy] in this bill -- because those are the issues that have
divided us in the past."
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