Quick Notes on House of Represntative's Attack on High Energy Prices and Nation's Energy Threats

by C. B.

Last Week,  the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4250, The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (also known as the FSC-ETI bill).  The House passed H.R. 4250 by a vote of 251 to 178, showing strong Democrat support.  This bill includes a provision calling for a percentage point reduction in corporate tax rates.  It now moves on to a Conference Committee with the Senate.  The Senate passed a JOBS bill that includes the energy tax package as written in the H.R. 6 Conference Report.

On Tuesday (June 15) the House passed by a vote of 229 to 186, H.R. 4513 The Renewable Energy Project Siting Improvement Act of 2004 that would help streamline the licensing and siting procedures for alternative energy projects undertaken on federal lands.  The Bill provides that in preparing an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement required under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, with respect to authorizing a renewable energy project, Federal agencies are not required to identify alternative project locations or actions other than the proposed action being reviewed and a no action alternative.

The same day the House also passed by a vote of 226 to 193, H.R. 4529 -The Arctic Coastal Plain & Surface Mining Improvement Act of 2004 that provides for the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas resources on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, and also contains language to resolve outstanding issues relating to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, regarding coal miner issues.

And the House also passed H.R. 4503 The Energy Policy Act of 2004, by a vote of 244 to 178.  H.R. 4503 is identical to the H.R. 6 Energy Conference Report approved earlier this year and which has been stalled in the Senate.

All of these bills passed by what are rather large margins in today's House of Representatives.  Senate rules allowing the minority leadership to prevent passage of bills make it unlikely that anthing will be done before the fall elections, but we could be surprised.