The Focus of Today's Session will be the
Energy Policy Act

           7:00 P.M.         

Senator Graham of Florida is now speaking on the floor about the energy bill.  He is currently focusing on domestic energy and the need to reduce carbon emissions.  No roll call votes will be held this evening. 

           5:00 P.M.         

Senator Wyden of Oregon asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Senate Resolution 216, a resolution establishing as a standing order of the Senate a requirement that a Senator publicly discloses a notice of intent to object to proceeding to any measure or matter.  His motion was objected to at which point he moved that the Rules Committee be discharged no later than March of 2004. This motion was also objected to.  Senator Wyden is now speaking on the need for this measure. 

           4:40 P.M.         

Senator Gregg of New Hampshire has been speaking over the past twenty minutes on the energy bill and many of the subsidies that are contained in the bill.  He reminded the Senate that this bill will violate the budget act because it includes funds that extend beyond what was budgeted for the fiscal year. 

           3:45 P.M.         

Debate this afternoon has continued in a predictable fashion, with one member criticizing the bill and Senator Domenici countering with a rebuttal.  Currently Senator Byrd of West Virginia is speaking about some of the provisions in the bill. 

           2:45 P.M.         

Senator Durbin is speaking on the floor about MTBE and how in many states it has leaked from gas station gas tanks into the drinking water.  He has also questioned why cars and trucks in the United States are not more fuel efficient, despite the fact that this technology exists.

           2:30 P.M.         

During the past thirty minutes Senator Bunning spoke in support of the bill, about how important this bill is to his state of Kentucky.  Senator Domenici is again defending his bill, and speaking about the blackout that affected a large part of the Northeast and Canada in August.

           2:00 P.M.         

For the past fifteen minutes Senator Leahy has been speaking on the energy bill and the assassination of President Kennedy.  To read Senator Leahy's statement on the Senate-passed S.14, the Energy Policy Act, please click here.

           1:00 P.M.         

Senator Boxer of California has also spent time this afternoon reading editorials from newspapers about the energy bill.  She has called this bill, "the worst bill," and stated that she will do everything she can to defeat this bill because it is bad for her constituents. 

           12:25 P.M.         

Senator Domenici, Chairman of the Energy Committee is defending the energy bill and explaining what he believes the effects will be if the Senate does not pass this legislation.  He has stated that not passing this bill would extend the United States dependence of foreign sources of energy. 

           12:00 P.M.         

Senator Cornyn of has also been speaking on the energy bill, voicing his opinion that this bill is a step forward and in the best interest of the country.  Senator Cornyn labeled the country's current energy policy as schizophrenic. 

           11:40 A.M.         

Senator Jeffords is speaking on the floor about provisions in the energy bill.  One provision he has focused on would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing the Clean Air Act in certain sections of South Western Michigan.  Senator Jeffords has noted that this provision was not in the bill when it was considered by the Energy Committee.  Senator Jeffords finished his statement noting, "A vote for this bill is a vote for greater pollution."

           11:00 A.M.         

Senator Jeff Bingaman is speaking about Title 12 of the energy bill which relates to electricity, electricity generation, and transmission and distribution of electricity in this country.

           10:30 A.M.         

Senator Feinstein voiced her concerns about the provision in the energy bill concerning MTBE. A number of senators have chosen to use their time during the debate on the energy bill to discuss this same provision. Senator Feinstein focused on the lawsuit that held Shell, Texaco, Tosco, Lyondel, Arco Chemical and Equidon Chemicals liable for selling a detective product since they were selling gasoline with MTBE without warning consumers of the pollution hazards.

           10:00 A.M.         

Senator Dianne Feinstein of California is reading editorials from newspapers across the country that oppose the energy bill.

           9:30 A.M.         

The Senate will resume consideration of the Energy Policy Act conference report this morning. Cloture was filed on the Energy Conference Report, so there will be a cloture vote on Friday morning. To read Senator Leahy's statement on the Senate-passed S.14, the Energy Policy Act, please click here.

Appropriations vs. Authorization: While the power over appropriations is granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution, the authorization-appropriation process is derived from House and Senate rules. The process consists of two sequential steps: (1) enactment of an authorization measure that may create or continue an agency or program as well as authorize the subsequent enactment of appropriations; and (2) enactment of appropriations to provide funds for the authorized agency or program.