The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on energy and air quality last Thursday voted 17-13 to forward a Republican stopgap bill to aid California to the full panel. The vote on the measure, sponsored by Subcommittee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), was strictly along party lines.

House lawmakers on the subcommittee defeated an effort by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) to include cost-of-service price caps on bulk power sales in the bill, and eliminated a provision in the legislation to establish a regional transmission organization (RTO) in the western region.

Lawmakers also approved provisions that would authorize $100 million in funding to for low-income energy assistance; award $1 million to establish a tribal energy office within the Department of Energy; and require federal facilities in the state to reduce their energy consumption by 20% during emergencies.

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