House leaders last week decided to call it quits on getting anelectricity-restructuring legislation passed this session,according to Capitol Hill sources.

The decision reportedly was made last Tuesday during aconversation on the House floor between Rep. Thomas J. Bliley(R-VA), chairman of the Commerce Committee; Rep. Dan Schaefer(R-CO), chairman of the energy and power subcommittee; Rep. RickWhite (R-WA) and other committee members.

“Unfortunately, a number of factors, including the calendar anda lack of support from the minority, have combined to make ithighly unlikely your [Schaefer’s] subcommittee will be able to holda mark-up this year. Thus, I concur with your decision not to takethat step this year,” Bliley said in a letter to Schaefer onWednesday.

Schaefer, who will be retiring at the end of the year, stillhas plans to hold hearings this session to address concerns ofsubcommittee members. “He wants to put all the ducks in a row thisyear so Congress can come out of the gate running next year” onelectricity restructuring, said Luke Rose, Schaefer’s press aide.

Susan Parker

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