US Senate votes to end energy debate, clearing way for bill's OK
Washington (Platts)--23Jun2005
The US Senate cut off debate on its energy bill Thursday, making it all but certain that the chamber would pass the legislation. The Senate has been debating the bill, which would set energy policy for the first time since 1992, since June 7. The move came after the Senate late Wednesday agreed to a block of 21 amendments, including ones that would set guide the White House's administration of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, trigger a Federal Trade Commission investigation of gasoline prices, establish hydrogen and fuel cell studies, create incentives for ocean wave energy and trigger a Federal Trade Commission investigation of gasoline prices. The vote to cut off debate, known as cloture in Senate parlance, limits further debate to 30 hours. It was approved by a vote of 92-4. A staffer for Majority Leader Bill Frist (Republican-Tennessee) said he believed the Senate would not use the available 30 hours and that a final vote to approve the legislation would likely occur Thursday night local EDT time. This story was originally published in Platts Electricity Alert http://www.electricityalert.platts.com
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