The squabbling over energy issues is likely to continue throughout the political season.
It appears that the bipartisan "Gang of 20" won’t offer it’s compromise energy bill this session. A report on TheHill.com said the group instead will offer a "statement of principals" and wait until after the political season to actually write any legislation for consideration.
This does not bode well for the bill presented by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). That bill, which could move to a floor vote as early as today, seeks to extend tax credits for renewable energy, as part of a larger package to update alternative minimum tax rules among other initiatives.
However, that bill gives little ground to Senate Republicans, who are likely to oppose the bill’s plan to repeal tax breaks for the major oil companies. And the "Gang of 20" are unlikely to support the bill, because it would unbalance any future compromise they hope to work out.
It’s still unclear whether or not the Senate will take the House energy bill passed this week, though it is unlikely it will be voted on in its current form.
And finally, both parties seem to be more interested in being able to point fingers in the run-up to November elections, as opposed to making legislative headway on energy issues.
Flex-Fuel Vehicle Bill
Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) today introduced
a bill to expand the number of flex-fuel (FFV) vehicles, those that are
specially designed to run on gasoline or any blend of up to 85% ethanol
(E85).
The Dual Fuel Automobile Act of 2008 calls for 50% of all
light-duty vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States to be
dual fuel automobiles by 2011. It increases that to 90% of all
light-duty vehicles manufactured for U.S. sales by 2013.
Currently FFVs make up less than 10% of new vehicles sold in the
United States. The lawmakers say the bill will expand the number of
vehicles at a rapid pace, but will not impose undue production cost
challenges for auto manufacturers. Gasoline vehicles
require relatively minor changes in fuel system designs to be able to
use blends of gasoline and ethanol.
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