Week In Review: Energy Conference Committee Has Long Road Ahead
By Asha Glover, Morning Consult.
Conferees from both chambers met to resolve differences between their energy bills. Members heard opening statements, but no bill text or amendments were considered.
The meeting showed the wide-ranging energy bill could have a difficult time in the conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. Key issues some members want to see resolved include investment in energy infrastructure and measures to address the California drought and wildfire management. Republicans also tried to convince Democrats to compromise instead of trying to work out a new deal for the bill if they end up being the majority in the next Congress. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Democrats that it was a bipartisan effort to get both the House and Senate to pass the energy legislation, and that Democrats need to work with the other side of the aisle to get something to the president’s desk before the end of the year.