Reauthorizes

The House Tuesday overwhelmingly approved legislation (HR 1622) that reauthorizes federal spending for research and development of natural gas vehicles (NGV) for five years, while across the U.S. the bandwagon is forming in support of transportation powered by a home-grown, plentiful and cheap fuel.

President Bush Friday signed into law the “Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006,” which reauthorizes and amends the Department of Transportation’s pipeline safety programs, including establishing new civil penalties for third-party excavators that fail to follow the nationwide one-call program and cause damage to pipelines.

The House Agriculture Committee Wednesday voted out legislation that reauthorizes the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and, among other things, augments the agency’s oversight of the natural gas market.