Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici today filed the authorizing portion of S. 2095 as a second-degree amendment to a Daschle ethanol amendment to S. 150 filed earlier in the day. The tax portion of S. 2095 has been attached to the FSC-ETI bill, slated for floor consideration early next week. Domenici filed for cloture on his amendment tonight. A vote on cloture is expected Thursday. In a floor speech this afternoon, Domenici welcomed the opportunity for Senate debate and vote on the comprehensive authorizing package. He told senators that the comprehensive package offers targeted solutions to America’s urgent and various energy challenges. The authorizing package will encourage production of domestic oil, development of more natural gas and the use of renewable fuels. It designs and deploys an array of advanced technologies, including clean coal technology, Domenici said. It invests in hydrogen research and does more than any law to conserves energy and increases efficiency. The package also expands research and development into better use of existing energies and the development of future energies. By contrast, the Daschle amendment only address one aspect of America’s energy challenges, the Chairman noted. An excerpt from Domenici’s prepared floor statement: “This authorizing package addresses the major concerns about the energy bill raised by Senators last fall. We heard the energy bill was too expensive. This bill is no longer expensive. This package saves the government money. We heard some Republicans couldn’t vote for the old energy bill because of MTBE. Well, that’s out. It’s no longer in my authorizing package. I took out directed spending. We have gone from $5.4 billion in direct spending in the old bill to minus $1.2 billion. We save the government money. “Senator Daschle and his Democrat colleagues should have no objection to this bill. Unlike his amendment, this isn’t just a piece meal solution. This does something to increase natural gas, ensure electricity reliability, make coal burn clean, develop hydrogen, encourage conservation and increase efficiency. “This bill does a lot of exciting things this Senate supports. I’m delighted that we are going to vote on this package. I didn’t think we could get this far. I want to thank the distinguished minority leader for opening up this door. Let’s make it a nice, wide door and send the comprehensive authorizing package through it.” ###