LegiStorm

Summary:

Energy policy in the United States has focused on three major goals: assuring a secure supply of energy, keeping energy costs low, and protecting the environment. In pursuit of those goals, government programs have been developed to improve the efficiency with which energy is utilized, to promote the domestic production of conventional energy sources, and to develop new energy sources, particularly renewable sources. Implementing these programs has been controversial because of varying importance given to different aspects of energy policy. For some, dependence on imports of foreign oil, particularly from the Persian Gulf, is the primary concern; for others, the continued use of fossil fuels, whatever their origin, is most important. The contribution of burning fossil fuels to global climate change is particularly controversial. Another dichotomy is between those who see government intervention as a positive force and those who view it as a necessary evil at best. In the 113th Congress, energy legislation was generally focused on specific topics, as opposed to broad legislation like that enacted in 1992, 2005, and 2007. Congress enacted statutes on generally less controversial topics including hydroelectric licensing and permitting and pipeline safety documentation (P.L. 113-30). The 113th Congress also enacted the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA, P.L. 113-121), omnibus reauthorization of water resource activities. The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013, S. 2262 and H.R. 1616, would have promoted energy efficiency in buildings and industry by encouraging adoption of uniform building codes and authorized a grant program for state energy efficiency programs. Several versions of the bill saw committee and/or floor action in the Senate, but S. 2262 failed a cloture vote on May 12, 2014. On March 5, 2014, the House passed H.R. 2126, which contained some of the provisions in S. 2262, by a vote of 375-36. H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, would have declared that a presidential permit would not be required for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The bill passed the House on May 22, 2013, by a vote of 241-175. The issue of approving Keystone XL is closely connected to the question of global climate change, since opponents argue that Canadian oil sands production contributes excessive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. On November 11, 2014, a related bill, S. 2280, failed a cloture vote in the Senate 59-41. A bill promoting increased offshore oil and gas exploration (H.R. 2231) passed the House on June 28, 2013. In November 2013 the House passed three energy related bills. H.R. 2728 would have prohibited the Bureau of Land Management from enforcing rules to regulate hydraulic fracturing in any state that has its own regulations on the activity. H.R. 1900 would have required the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to respond to permit applications for new natural gas pipelines within one year. H.R. 1965 was aimed at increasing on-shore leasing of oil and gas resources on federal land. On March 6, 2014, the House passed H.R. 3826, a bill to block the Environmental Protection Agency from limiting power plant carbon emissions. On September 18, 2014, the House passed H.R. 2 by a vote of 226-191. The bill contained provisions from several bills, including H.R. 3, H.R. 1900, H.R. 1965, H.R. 2231, and H.R. 3826. Many of the issues raised in the 113th Congress are expected to remain on the legislative agenda at the start of the 114th Congress.