Congress

Two former federal regulators appear confident that Congress will pass energy legislation this year, even though the 2012 election season is fast approaching — a time when most lawmakers shy away from contentious energy matters.

Saying extraction is only “half of the job” of capitalizing on the Marcellus Shale, a group of Pennsylvania House Republicans reintroduced legislation on Wednesday to promote the use of natural gas vehicles (NGV) in the state.

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell on Thursday certified Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) the winner of the Nov. 2 election, clearing the way for her to be seated with the 112th Congress, which convenes Wednesday. But Republican Joe Miller hasn’t exactly given up the fight. He said he planned to hold a news conference on New Year’s day to discuss his next legal steps. Miller, an attorney who was backed by former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, is challenging the votes that were counted in Murkowski’s favor despite the misspelling of her name. Write-in candidate Murkowski declared victory in late November with a more than 10,000-vote lead over Miller, of which more than 8,000 ballots were challenged by the Miller camp (see NGI, Nov. 22, 2010).

In his first State of the Union address last Wednesday night, President Obama called on Congress to pass a jobs bill with an energy component, financial reform, and comprehensive energy and climate change legislation in that order.

In his first State of the Union address Wednesday night, President Obama called on Congress to pass a jobs bill with an energy component, financial reform, and comprehensive energy and climate change legislation in that order.

In his first State of the Union address Wednesday night, President Obama called on Congress to pass a jobs bill with an energy component, financial reform, and comprehensive energy and climate change legislation in that order.

Rather than continue down the same cap-and-trade path that “has only increased division” within Congress over climate change legislation, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) last Wednesday called for the Senate to return to the drawing board to consider other options, such as a carbon tax, which is favored by some oil and natural gas producers.

Rather than continue down the same cap-and-trade path that “has only increased division” within Congress over climate change legislation, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Wednesday called for the Senate to return to the drawing board to consider other options, such as a carbon tax that is favored by oil and natural gas producers.

Climate change legislation now being considering by Congress unfairly targets Midwestern states and would force a disproportionately large portion of the cost of cap-and-trade on utility customers in those states, according to some panelists testifying during a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Wednesday.