Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
january 2015

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congress

Senate amends, passes bill approving Keystone XL

January 30, 2015

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a business meeting on January 8 to mark up legislation titled A Bill to Approve the Keystone Pipeline (S.1). The bill passed out of committee without amendment by a 13-9 vote, with all Republicans and one Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), voting in favor. The bill’s proponents spoke about its potential benefits for job creation and energy independence; its detractors questioned the magnitude of these benefits for the American public, who they argued will assume the risks associated with the pipeline.

A hearing was scheduled for the previous day to hear witness testimony on the pipeline, but it was cancelled after objections by Senate Democrats. Instead, committee members used the markup, which is traditionally used to amend a bill in question, to make their views on the issue heard. The Senate voted 63-32 to proceed with an extended period of floor debate regarding the bill starting Monday, January 12.               

During the markup, Republicans argued that the pipeline would contribute to U.S. energy security by increasing the proportion of oil used by the U.S. that is obtained from friendly countries like Canada. However, many Democrats disagreed, stating that while the pipeline is routed through the U.S., once it reaches coastal ports, there is no incentive for the oil to be sold to U.S. consumers instead of the global market.

The bill’s supporters emphasized its job creation potential, citing the U.S. State Department Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which estimated that the pipeline and related spending would support approximately 42,100 jobs. However, Democrats cited further information in the EIS that clarifies that roughly 4,000 direct jobs would be created during construction, while other so-called “induced” jobs—those in related industries such as oil refining—are highly dependent on unpredictable oil prices and market forces. Once construction is completed, the report estimates that only 50 jobs would be necessary to operate the pipeline.

Between January 13 and 20, 240 amendments and secondary amendments were introduced to the bill, and more than two dozen of those were considered by the Senate. Among those that passed were an amendment with slimmed-down language from the Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill promoting energy efficiency in federal buildings; an amendment from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) stating that climate change is real and not a hoax; a sense-of-the-Senate that oil sands crude producers should contribute to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund; and an amendment clarifying the Keystone XL bill does not supersede the U.S. government’s treatises and agreements with Native Americans. On January 29, the Senate approved cloture, bringing debate on amendments to an end, and moved to vote on the bill. S.1 passed the Senate 62-36 with every Republican voting in favor of the bill. Nine Democrats also voted to pass the measure, including Senators Michael Bennet (CO), Bob Casey (PA), Tom Carper (DE), Joe Donnelly (IN), Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Joe Manchin (WV), Claire McCaskill (MO), Jon Tester (MT), and Mark Warner (VA).

The bill has been reported to the House, which passed its own version of a Keystone XL approval bill on January 8, to determine if they will accept the Senate amendments or move the two bills to conference committee to iron out differences.

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Department of State

Updated 2/4/15 to reflect new developments in the story

New committee members in House and Senate

January 31, 2015

Congressional committees in both the Senate and the House of Representatives welcome new members and say farewell to others in the 114th Congress. Although Republicans have finalized the majority of their committee assignments, Democrats are still working to place members.

House Science, Space, and Technology (SST):

Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chair; Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member

New members: John Moolenaar (R-MI), Steve Knight (R-CA), Brian Babin (R-TX),
Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Gary Palmer (R-AL), and Barry Loudermilk (R-GA). The new Democratic members have not yet been announced.

House Natural Resources:

Rob Bishop (R-UT), Chair; Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Ranking Member

New members: Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Garret Graves (R-LA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Ryan Zinke (R-MT), Jody Hice (R-GA), Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), Tom MacArthur (R-NJ), Alex Mooney (R-WV), Cresent Hardy (R-NV), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Norma Torres (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Mark Takai (D-HI)

House Appropriations:

Hal Rogers (R-KY), Chair; Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member

New members: Scott Rigell (R-VA), David Jolly (R-FL), David Young (R-IA), Evan Jenkins (R-WV), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Derek Kilmer (D-WA)

Senate Energy and Natural Resources:

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chair; Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member

New members: Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Steve Daines (R-MT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), and Angus King (I-ME)

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

John Thune (R-SD), Chair; Bill Nelson (D-FL), Ranking Member

New members: Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Gary Peters (D-MI)

Senate Environment and Public Works:

James Inhofe (R-OK), Chair; Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member

New members: Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Ed Markey (D-MA)

Senate Appropriations:

Thad Cochran (R-MS), Chair; Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Ranking Member

New members: James Lankford (R-OK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Christopher Murphy (D-CT).

Sources: House of Representatives website, Senate website

New subcommittees announced for the House Natural Resources Committee

January 6, 2015

The newly appointed Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), has changed the organizational structure of the subcommittees for the 114th Congress. The structure under the previous Chair, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA), included subcommittees for Energy and Mineral Resources; Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs; Indian and Alaska Native Affairs; Public Lands and Environmental Regulation; and Water and Power.

Under Rep. Bishop’s new structure, the Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs Subcommittee is replaced with two new subcommittees: Indian, Insular, and Alaska Native Affairs chaired by Rep. Don Young (R-AK) and the Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans chaired by Rep. John Fleming (R-LA). The Public Lands and Environmental Regulations Subcommittee is renamed Federal Lands and is chaired by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA). In addition, Chairman Bishop added a new Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX). The Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee remains unchanged and will continue to be chaired by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO).

Sources: E&E News, House Natural Resources Committee