What's News
05/08/08
NARC Washington, DC Update - 5/8/08
Category: The Washington Update
Posted by: shannon
BRIEF
TRANSPORTATION
Inouye and Stevens Urge Congress to Move Forward on FAA Reauthorization
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Inouye (D-HI) and Ranking Member Stevens (R-AK) have both urged Congress to pass Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation after the Senate rejected a compromise amendment sponsored by Senator Stevens and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) that removed extraneous, non-aviation-related provisions.
Senator Stevens worked with colleagues in both parties to help broker a compromise on the provisions to fund modernizations and he has said he will oppose any increase in the fuel tax burden for commercial airlines and piston general aviation aircraft.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Inouye (D-HI) and Ranking Member Stevens (R-AK) have both urged Congress to pass Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation after the Senate rejected a compromise amendment sponsored by Senator Stevens and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) that removed extraneous, non-aviation-related provisions.
Senator Stevens worked with colleagues in both parties to help broker a compromise on the provisions to fund modernizations and he has said he will oppose any increase in the fuel tax burden for commercial airlines and piston general aviation aircraft.
DEVELOPMENTBRIEF
Farm Bill Agreement Made by Conferees
Yesterday farm bill conferees completed negotiations of the new five-year bill, but now must ensure there is enough support for the legislation to override a possible presidential veto. Today lawmakers will hold a press conference to detail the agreement.
The Bush administration has expressed concerns about the bill, including the need for tighter limits on subsidies, opposition to a $3.8 billion farm disaster aid program and new benefits for the sugar industry, and the cost of the bill.
The Senate seems capable to get enough votes to override a veto. The House, however, will have difficulty convincing some of the fiscal conservatives and liberal Democrats.
The bill’s cost is estimated to be about $570 billion over 10 years, or about $10 billion more than it would cost to extend current law.
The House and Senate are scheduled to consider the conference report on May 14.
Bush’s Threat Provokes House Skirmish on Housing Bill
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN – From The New York Times
Emboldened by President Bush’s threat to veto a Democratic plan to help homeowners in danger of foreclosure, House Republicans threw up repeated roadblocks to delay debate of the legislation on Wednesday, prompting an angry argument between party leaders over procedural tactics.
House Democrats, led by Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts and chairman of the Financial Services Committee, had been hoping to build a bipartisan consensus on the housing legislation, which would widen the availability of federal-insured mortgages to help troubled borrowers refinance their loans.
Mr. Frank’s committee had approved the bill by a vote of 46 to 21, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats in favor. But on Tuesday night, the White House said that it strongly opposed the bill, and after a meeting with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday morning, Mr. Bush spoke even more forcefully against it.
“We are committed to a good housing bill that will help folks stay in their house, as opposed to a housing bill that will reward speculators and lenders,” Mr. Bush said, adding, “I will veto the bill that’s moving through the House today if it makes it to my desk.”
The president’s remarks evoked outrage from the Democrats, who repeatedly brought up the Federal Reserve’s intervention to prevent a complete collapse of Bear Stearns, the investment bank.
“It’s O.K. to help out a major investment bank,” said Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut and chairman of the Banking Committee, who has been working to develop similar housing legislation in the Senate. “Where is that compassion when it comes to American homeowners?”
Democrats also suggested that there was disagreement between Mr. Bush and the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., over whether to support the housing legislation. But Michele Davis, a spokeswoman for Mr. Paulson, said he opposed the measure because it “shifts too much risk from lenders to taxpayers.”
Mr. Dodd derided the administration’s efforts to help homeowners refinance their loans, and cited statistics showing that only 2,000 borrowers in default on their mortgages had actually been able to refinance into a government-insured mortgage since the program, called FHA Secure, was created in August.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Mr. Frank’s bill in the House would generate about 500,000 refinanced mortgages over the next five years at a cost to taxpayers of roughly $2.7 billion.
Mr. Frank’s bill is part of a larger package of housing legislation that also includes two major measures that Mr. Bush has demanded for years: an overhaul of the Federal Housing Administration and a tightening of regulation over the government-sponsored mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Mr. Bush, in threatening to veto Mr. Frank’s bill, has called on Congress to pass those two measures as stand-alone legislation. As Democrats tried to bring their bill to the floor on Wednesday, House Republicans threw up procedural roadblocks, including a series of votes on motions to adjourn.
The majority leader, Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, gave a floor speech early in the evening accusing the Republicans of an “abuse of process.”
In response, the Republican leader, Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, accused the Democrats of cutting Republicans out of the legislative process.
“We don’t have many ways to express our grievance on the housing bill because we have no amendment we can offer,” Mr. Boehner said. “All we are asking is to be treated fairly.”
Mr. Hoyer, seemingly unmoved by Mr. Boehner’s pleas, replied, “I understand your feelings.”
ENVIRONMENTBRIEF
Request for Public Comment: Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies
Section 2031 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110–114) directs the Secretary of the Army to revise the ‘‘Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies’’, dated March 10, 1983 consistent with a number of considerations enumerated in the statute. Upon completion the revision will apply to water resources projects, project reevaluations, or project modifications and project feasibility studies carried out by the Secretary except those commenced prior to the completion of the revised guidance. The Secretary intends to craft the revision in two phases, with the first phase of this revision to address revisions to the 1983 Principles and Standards (Chapter I of the existing Guidelines) and the second phase to address revisions to the Procedures (Chapters II through IV of the 1983 Guidelines). The purpose of this notice is to provide opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to submit suggestions for revising the Principles and Standards. Using that input the Secretary intends for the initial draft of the revision to be prepared in June and released for public comments by July.
DATES: A public meeting to hear recommendations will be held on June 5, 2008. Written suggestions are being accepted now and will be accepted through the end of the public meeting,
5 p.m., June 5, 2008.
Attached is the Federal Register notice.
Sponsors lower expectations for Lieberman-Warner bill
From Environment & Energy Daily
Senate sponsors of a major global warming bill lowered expectations yesterday on their chances for final passage as aides scrambled behind the scenes to complete a revamped version of the legislation before next month's scheduled floor debate.
Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) shrugged off suggestions she is having trouble winning over moderates and conservatives from either party in her quest to find 60 votes and squash an inevitable filibuster.
"To tell you the truth, we don't know if we'll wind up getting 60 votes this time," Boxer said in an interview. "But we do believe we're making tremendous progress and we're going to start the debate."
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who provided a critical swing vote for the climate bill last winter when it moved out of the EPW Committee, provided a similar assessment. "I don't think we can count on 60 at this point," he said.
Aides to Boxer and Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.) have been working over the last few weeks on a substitute to their original climate bill with several changes compared to the version adopted in committee last December. Lieberman said he expected the manager's amendment would get wider circulation Monday, with a public rollout shortly after.
"The whole idea is to get a draft out to our colleagues, to stakeholders, and we presume, to the public to see what we're thinking," Lieberman said. "And then invite responses so we can continue to improve it."
Warner yesterday said he was looking for changes before the floor debate that would allow the president to "pull back the throttle" if the legislation's emission targets cannot be met with available technology, or if the U.S. economy was under stress through, for example, $5 a gallon gasoline.
Boxer has also promised several changes to the bill, including a "deficit reduction" amendment, as well as greater oversight of the carbon markets and specific funding directed toward cities to help promote energy efficiency and mass transit.
Many demands
The Lieberman-Warner-Boxer camp is facing increasing demands from all corners of the Senate to change the bill that would establish a cap-and-trade system with midcentury emission limits of 70 percent below 2005 levels.
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown told the Cleveland Plain Dealer this week he was holding out in his support for the Lieberman-Warner bill because it did not do enough to protect his home state's manufacturing jobs while still stimulating investments in alternative energy. "I have serious concerns about any climate-change bill that doesn't take into account energy-intensive industries like we have in Ohio -- glass and chemicals and steel and aluminum and foundries," Brown said.
"He's concerned," Brown spokeswoman Joanna Kuebler explained yesterday. "He's leaning toward a no."
Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington said in an interview that she is also pushing for changes in the Lieberman-Warner bill to benefit her home state's abundant supplies of hydropower. "We want to make sure people who are already good at reducing CO2 emissions will continue to do that and not be penalized," she said. Cantwell explained that she has not joined the bill as a cosponsor because she wants to keep working on it.
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said he wants a more beneficial emission allocation system for his state's rural energy producers.
"Obviously, I represent a state that's a significant power producer," Conrad said. "Most people don't think of North Dakota that way. But we produce electricity for nine states. We have the largest coal gasification plant in the country. We have very large reserves of lignite coal."
In contrast, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) maintained that he is a long way from backing the Lieberman-Warner bill. Instead, he is taking a close look at an alternative climate bill circulated from Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) that opens with tax incentives for new energy technologies but falls back on cap and trade if the other ideas have not worked by 2030.
"It's a more realistic approach to what technology is going to be required," Nelson said. "Just legislating it, doesn't get you there."
On the Republican side of the aisle, Sen. John McCain of Arizona plans a major climate-themed speech Monday in Portland, Ore., that his aides say will spell out in greater detail what he hopes to do on the issue if elected president this November. McCain will cover issues relevant to the Lieberman-Warner floor debate, including how to limit costs to the U.S. economy and also how to safeguard U.S. manufacturers concerned about international competition, an aide said (Greenwire, May 7).
Back in Washington, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) spoke on the Senate floor yesterday on a different method for using what are projected to be hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue raised through an auction of emission credits. Gregg suggested the auction revenue could go toward reducing personal income taxes, as opposed to its current function with Lieberman-Warner, which ranges from research and development of new energy technologies to helping low-income energy consumers.
"This should not be a windfall that expands the size of federal government," Gregg said. "It's not right to do that."
MISCELLANEOUSBRIEF
Democrats Introduce Energy Plan
Yesterday Senate Democrats introduced an energy plan to address market speculation and oil company profits. This bill may see floor time next week along with a Republican proposal focused on increasing supply. Both parties do agree that crude oil deliveries to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve must be stopped in an effort to increase supplies on the market. These efforts are responses to the ever increasing gas prices.
The Senate Democrat’s bill is S2991 and the Republican proposal is S2958, the American Energy Production Act of 2008.
Highlights of S2991:
– rolls back $17 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and direct the money to renewable energy.
– sets a point at which big oil company profit levels would be deemed “windfall” and require companies to pay taxes of 25 percent of profit above that level.
– includes an“anti-price-gouging” provision that would give the president the authority to declare an energy emergency should there be a shortage or disruption in the oil market.
– authorizes the Justice Department to bring an enforcement action against any country or company colluding to set the price of petroleum products.
– prevents traders of U.S. crude oil futures from routing transactions to offshore markets in order to increase transparency and accountability of the trades and would increase the margin requirement for oil futures trades.
Highlights of S2958:
– increases supply by expanding oil drilling offshore and in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge
– promotes development of controversial coal-to-liquid fuels.
HEARINGS&MARKUPS
Transportation
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Budget Committee joint hearing on financing infrastructure investment on 5/8/08 at 10am in 2167 Rayburn.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on the movement of goods on the nation's highways on 5/8/08 at 10am in 406 Dirksen.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials hearing on the reauthorization of Amtrak on 5/14/08 at 10amin 2167 Rayburn.
Economic & Community Development
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on fiscal 2009 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction – The Census Bureau – on TBA in 2358-A Rayburn.
Environment
Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the Department of Energy decision to restructure the FutureGen program and obtain information about the elements of the original and revised approaches to advance carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS). FutureGen is an initiative to equip multiple new clean coal power plants with CCS on 5/8/08 at 9:30am in 192 Dirksen.
House Select Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee hearing on efficiency policy and climate legislation on 5/8/08 at 10am in location TBA.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on EPA's new ozone standards on 5/8/08 at 10am in 2154 Rayburn.
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on climate change modeling, focusing on current computing capacity to process models at the regional and local scales, the need for continuous observational data to support the models and the basic science to support the improvement of the next generation of climate models to meet the needs of decision makers. The hearing will review developing applications, consumer expectations and network operation on 5/8/08 at 2:30pm in 253 Russell.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the impact of climate change on the reliability, security, economics and design of critical energy infrastructure in coastal regions on 5/13/08 at 10am in 366 Dirksen.
Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs and International Environmental Protection Subcommittee hearing on "International Deforestation and Climate Change Adaptation” on TBD in 419 Dirksen (witnesses include Stuart Eizenstat - partner, Covington and Burling, representing Sustainable Forestry Management and Heather McGray - senior associate, World Resources Institute).
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management hearing on the practical impact of national flood plain remapping on TBA in 2167 Rayburn.
House Energy and Commerce Committee mark up on HR 3754, a bill to authorize the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to accept, as part of a settlement, diesel emission reduction supplemental environmental projects, and for other purposes on TBA in 2123 Rayburn.
DCEVENTS
CQ Forum on America's Infrastructure
Congressional Quarterly will host a CQ Forum sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers on America's Infrastructure. During this economic downturn and time of war, what are the benefits, costs and tradeoffs we must balance in order to restore, maintain--and even expand--our national infrastructure?
DATE: Wednesday, May 14
TIME: 8am
LOCATION: Columbus Club, Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Contact: Marie Kilroy at 202-419-8484 or cqforum_infrastructure@cq.com
Note: Registration required to contact listed. For further information: www.cq.com/cqforum_infrastructure
Risk Management, Mitigation, and Renewable Energy Technology
The American Council On Renewable Energy in collaboration with the American Bar Association's (ABA) Renewable Energy Resources Committee will host a teleconference with a panel of experts who will discuss varying perspectives on how the current risk management environment is evaluated by participants in the renewable energy sector.
DATE: Wednesday, May 21
TIME: 12:00-1:30 pm ET
There is a $25 charge for this event. Click on the following link for more information: http://www.renewableenergyinfo.org
The Summit for American Prosperity: Washington and Metro Areas Working Together
The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program will host The Summit for American Prosperity: Washington and Metropolitan Areas Working Together. The event will take place at the Washington Hilton on Wednesday evening, June 11 and Thursday, June 12, 2008.
To attend sessions and meal functions registration is required – although there is no fee to attend the Summit.
DATE: Wednesday evening, June 11, 2008 — Thursday, June 12, 2008
LOCATION: The Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC
To RSVP, please register at www.regonline.com/brookingsblueprintsummitor contact Kathleen Kruczlnicki with any questions (kkruczlnicki@brookings.edu, 202.797.6139)
To RSVP, please register at www.regonline.com/brookingsblueprintsummitor contact Kathleen Kruczlnicki with any questions (kkruczlnicki@brookings.edu, 202.797.6139)
NATIONALNEWS
Aging systems releasing sewage into rivers, streams
From USA Today
America's sewers are showing their age. Deteriorating pipes, overwhelmed by volumes of water they were never designed to carry, release billions of gallons of raw sewage into rivers and streams each year. The spills make people sick, threaten local drinking water and kill aquatic animals and plants.
----------
Transit systems travel 'green' track
From USA Today
This year, the surging current of the East River will help provide power to a nearby subway station. The lights that lace the ornate interior of Manhattan's Grand Central Station have largely been replaced by bulbs that burn brightly but save energy. There are plans to make the rooftop of a Queens bus depot bloom like a garden.
----------
Labor seeks benefits of green economy
From The Politico
After years of decline, Big Labor is hoping to revive its movement by hitching a ride with the environmentalists. The vehicle: a Senate global warming bill set for action next month.
----------
A City Committed to Recycling Is Ready for More
From The New York Times
Mayor Gavin Newsom is competitive about many things, garbage included. When the city found out a few weeks ago that it was keeping 70 percent of its disposable waste out of local landfills, he embraced the statistic the way other mayors embrace winning sports teams, improved test scores or declining crime rates.
----------
Editorial: The Tax Trickery Spreads
From The New York Times
It was bad enough when Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain decided to engage in some petty pandering by calling for a suspension of the federal gas tax over the summer. What they suggested would reduce needed tax revenues and hamper efforts to combat global warming. And it would fail to deliver lower prices while giving oil companies more money. But neither senator is actually running the country, so it might be tempting to chalk it all up to campaign pandering.
----------
Two seen as keys to transit solution
From The Richmond Times-Dispatch
Thirty legislators -- from both parties, from both ends of Virginia's urban crescent -- crowded around a conference table yesterday, searching for common ground on a fiscal fix for transportation.
----------
Common ground sought on transportation issues
From The Daily Press
Good intentions collided with political reality Wednesday as legislators from Virginia's two most congested regions met each other halfway to discuss their transportation woes.
----------
Statewide Solutions On Roads Discussed
From The Washington Post
Calling themselves the "new urban majority," legislators from Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads inched closer Wednesday to agreeing that any transportation plan must include millions of dollars for road and transit projects across the state.
----------
Steer away from debt for regional roads projects, adviser says
From The Virginian-Pilot
The company that advises Virginia Beach on how much debt it can manage has warned city officials that they should not help finance regional transportation projects using municipal bonds.
----------
Coastal plan addresses redevelopment issues
From The Atlanticville
A meeting and open house to update the public on the progress of the Coastal Monmouth Plan was held April 30 at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library in Shrewsbury.
----------
Transportation finance authority pushed
From The Gulf Breeze News
Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino is trying to organize a fourcounty Regional Transportation Finance Authority to help fund future state road projects and wants Santa Rosa County to add its name to the list of participating counties.
----------
'Raid' on transportation funds may kill road projects, builders say
From The Capital Times
Road builders are getting jittery over the possible impacts of the failure by legislative leaders to pass a budget repair bill, which may lead to a scale-back on road projects.