Washington, D.C. – The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee has begun consideration of some of President Bush’s five energy proposals. Chairman Domenici plans to discuss the remaining ideas with colleagues on the committee for possible inclusion in the draft energy bill.

Chairman Domenici met yesterday with committee Republicans and will meet with them again this week. He has been meeting individually with committee Democrats. Those meetings will continue through the week.

Chairman Domenici noted that the committee has been working on bipartisan language in the natural gas title of the energy bill that would clarify the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s exclusive authority over the siting, construction, expansion and operation of new Liquified Natural Gas facilities, as the President suggested today.

Committee senators discussed reducing the uncertainty in the licensing of new nuclear plants Tuesday morning during a full committee hearing on the Administration’s Nuclear Power 2010 project. Domenici welcomed President Bush’s leadership on clear call for action on these matters today.

The committee has not previously considered expanding the tax credits for hybrid vehicles to include clean diesel vehicles, nor has the committee contemplated siting refineries on closed military bases. The committee has been considering siting LNG facilities on closed coastal military installations. The President proposed these as part of five energy proposals outlined in a speech to the Small Business Administration’s Conference today. Chairman Domenici promised  swift discussions with committee colleagues on these ideas.

Chairman Domenici’s statement:

“The President’s five energy proposals affirms his vision of clean, abundant and affordable energy for this country and his commitment to making that dream a reality. All of his suggestions would make a real difference in our energy supply and our environment. We have begun committee consideration of some of these proposals. I will promptly discuss with my colleagues other ideas we hadn’t thought of before. The energy challenges we are facing now would be more manageable if we had enacted President Bush’s National Energy Plan when he proposed it four years ago. Congress’s failure to act have hurt our economy and American consumers. I welcome his continued leadership and policy proposals.”