Senate

The Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) was passed by the state’s House and Senate finance committees with relatively minor changes late Thursday, and Gov. Sarah Palin said she was optimistic the bill would pass the Legislature with most of the original language intact. Floor votes on both bills were expected on Friday.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, saying his committee was continuing to investigate “potential anomalies in natural gas market,” advised that he would be meeting this week with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Joseph Kelliher to go over some unanswered questions about the integrity of the markets.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) last week was asked by the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to undertake a “thorough review” of the royalty-in-kind (RIK) program overseen by the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS). The Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation of the RIK program last month (see NGI, Jan. 8).

The chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to undertake a “thorough review” of the royalty-in-kind (RIK) program overseen by the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS). The Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation of the RIK program last month (see Daily GPI, Jan. 3).

The American Public Gas Association (APGA), Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) and more than 30 Iowa public natural gas systems last Wednesday called on Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) to press for legislation in the new Congress that addresses a “critical lack of transparency” in the over-the-counter (OTC) gas market.

The American Public Gas Association (APGA), Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) and more than 30 Iowa public natural gas systems Wednesday called on Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) to press for legislation in the new Congress that addresses a “critical lack of transparency” in the over-the-counter (OTC) gas market.

Flanked by House and Senate leaders and administration officials, President Bush signed into law Wednesday long-awaited legislation to open up part of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas leasing.

Flanked by House and Senate leaders and administration officials, President Bush signed into law last Wednesday long-awaited legislation to open up part of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas leasing.

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL), both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation last Thursday that would require a federal conviction to stand in the event of the death of a defendant and would allow victims to seek restitution from the defendant’s estate.