Capitol Hill observers said last week they doubted Rep. Dan Schaefer’s (R-CO) decision to retire from the House at the end of his term later this year would significantly hamper efforts to move electricity restructuring legislation along in Congress, but they still believe the odds are against a bill being passed this year.

Schaefer, chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, ” will certainly attempt [it] and I know his staff is trying to find a consensus on this issue, but given the short legislative session [this year], it is going to be difficult to pass a major initiative like this,” said John Sharp, director of regulatory affairs and counsel at the Natural Gas Supply Association.

“I still don’t see the critical consensus that you need in either house” yet for restructuring legislation in 1998, he added. But as the states move quickly to adopt plans to bring competition to their electricity markets, Sharp believes “it will encourage these [federal] legislators to move sooner than later” on a bill.

Sharp predicted that Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), currently chairman of the Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, will “very seriously consider” succeeding Schaefer as chairman of Energy and Power.

Schaefer, who has been a House member since 1983, said he wanted to retire to spend more time with his family. “He came to Congress and set out to do two things — to end the Cold War and stop reckless deficit spending by the federal government. He feels like those things are done,” said staff aide Dana Perino. “And what he wants to do is put all of his energy this year into passing electricity deregulation, and go out on a high note.”

Susan Parker

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