On
July 30, by a largely party-line vote of 51-43, the Senate again failed
to advance a package of renewable energy tax-credit extensions, and
other tax extenders (S. 3335, the Jobs, Energy, Families, and Disaster Relief Act). Sixty
votes were needed on a procedural motion ("cloture") to consider the
merits of the bill. Congress adjourned two days later, August 1, for
its month-long August recess.
The
Senate has tried unsuccessfully about half a dozen times to move an
energy tax extenders package thought the Senate, despite repeated
efforts to modify the bill to pick up the requisite votes. The only
Republicans to vote with Democrats on this latest version were Sens.
Olympia Snowe (ME), Susan Collins (ME), Gordon Smith (OR), Elizabeth
Dole (NC), and Norm Coleman (MN). To date, most Republicans have
opposed "offsets" to pay for the extensions being included in S. 3335
and other versions of the bill. Moreover, the White House issued a
Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) on S. 3335, stating that
Administration staff would recommend the President veto the bill in its
current form.
Of
interest to NEPPA, included in the $135 billion bill were a number of
renewable and energy efficiency tax incentives, including $2 billion in
additional Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBS) authority and technical
fixes to the program, among other things.
Following
the failed vote, just before adjournment, small bipartisan groups in
both the House and Senate unveiled "compromise" measures in the hopes
the stalemate can be broken and energy legislation passed when Members
return in September. Sens. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Saxby Chambliss
(R-GA) are leading the effort in the Senate, and in the House, the
effort is spearheaded by Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) and John
Peterson (R-PA).