After an intensive month of hearings on the more difficult aspects of energy reform, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will begin crafting a single, comprehensive energy bill on Aug. 1. The “mark-up,” which involves analyzing legislation section-by-section and making changes, will get underway at 9:30 a.m. in SD-366 and is expected to be completed in September. “We’re moving forward on national energy policy in a cooperative, bipartisan way,” said Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). “Everyone’s ideas are now on the table -- and there are plenty of positions that Democrats and Republicans agree on. We’re ready to start legislating a policy that will address America’s need to increase domestic energy supplies while ensuring conservation and the use of clean, efficient technologies.” Bingaman’s plan is to focus each day of mark-up on a general topic. A Chairman or joint mark-up proposal will be distributed in advance and be open to amendment. To maximize the ability to clear amendments that command consensus support, Committee Members have been asked to keep amendments relevant to the topical area under consideration. Research, development and training provisions will be considered first during the mark-up, with plans to finish this part before the August recess. If needed, a second day of mark-up will occur on Aug. 2. Bingaman plans to use the August recess for discussion and consensus-building for other, more difficult topics, e.g., electricity. In 1991, the Committee took 13 days to mark up what ultimately became the Energy Policy Act of 1992. # # #