The House Democratic leadership is struggling to reach agreement on two key issues -- a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and an increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards - before clearing the "Energy Independence" bill for consideration by the full House. Members are meeting to work out an agreement hoping that the bill will be considered late next week.
Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) is working hard to garner enough votes for his RPS amendment which would mandate utilities to reach a 20 percent RPS by 2020. As drafted, the amendment currently does not mandate, but instead encourages federal, municipal, and cooperative utilities to participate in an RPS program. Currently, it has 121 co-sponsors in the House.
However, the House has never voted on an RPS, nor has there been serious consideration of such an amendment in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Moreover, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) has made clear he would prefer that members not offer an RPS amendment or CAFE increase amendment to the current energy legislation but instead, wait until the fall.