[PCA] Recent Congressional Activities (fwd)

Olivia Kwong plant at plantconservation.org
Tue Jun 30 08:26:17 CDT 2009


---------- Forwarded message ----------
CURRENT HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Impacts of Coal Mining on Water Quality
On Thursday, June 25, the Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee
on Water and Wildlife held an oversight hearing on The Impacts of
Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining on Water Quality in Appalachia.  There was
no request for a DOI witness.  Links to testimony may be found at:

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=f5a65b16-802a-23ad-47d0-66e783de9ee0

House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related
Agencies
On Thursday, June 18, the full House Appropriations Committee approved HR
2996, the FY 2010 appropriations bill for the Department of Interior.  The
Committee report can be found here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/R?cp111:FLD010:@1(hr180)

On Thursday, June 25, 2009, the House took up HR 2996 and passed the
measure by a vote of 254-173.  The bill provides $32.3 billion in
discretionary funds for the Interior Department, the EPA, the U.S. Forest
Service, the Smithsonian Institution and other related agencies. This
would be a 17 percent increase over fiscal 2009 when funds from the
economic stimulus law are not included.  It includes a major funding
increase for the EPA?s water and sewer infrastructure programs, as well as
increases for the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and
Related Agencies
On Thursday, June 25, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a FY
2010 spending bill that would provide $11.1 billion for the Interior
Department by a vote of 30-0.  The bill funds the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service at a total of $1.608 billion, an increase of $162.5 million over
the FY 2009 enacted level.  It is unclear when the measure will be brought
to the Senate floor for consideration.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act
The U.S. House of Representatives took up consideration of H.R. 2454 on
June 26th planning on three hours of floor debate after passing the rule
to consider the bill.  Debate began about 1:00 pm and is expected to
continue until after 4:00 pm with a half hour debate on a Republican
alternative.

Majority Whip James Clyburn indicated that he had possibly 217 votes,
while Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer indicated they felt the
remaining uncertainty about the outcome of the vote.  H.R. 2454 includes a
clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy, carbon
capture and sequestration technologies, clean electric vehicles, and the
smart grid and electricity transmission; an energy efficiency title that
increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy; a global
warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants;
and a title that protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green
jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy. H.R. 2454 would cut
global warming pollution by 17% compared to 2005 levels in 2020, by 42% in
2030, and by 83% in 2050.  H.R. 2454 has also been referred to the
following Committees: Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Education and
Labor, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural
Resources, Agriculture, and Ways and Means.

FUTURE HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Wildlife Disease and Invasive Species Issues
On Wednesday, July 8, the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee
on Water and Wildlife will hold an oversight hearing on wildlife disease
and invasive species issues.  The time and location are not yet
determined.  The DOI witness will be Gary Frazer, Assistant Director for
Fisheries and Habitat Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mining Legislation
On Tuesday, July 14, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
will hold a full committee hearing on S. 140 (Feinstein), A bill to modify
the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands,
consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims, and
for other purposes; and S. 796 (Bingaman), A bill to modify the
requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain land, and
for other purposes.  The hearing will be at 10:00 a.m. in Room 366 Dirksen
Senate Office Building.  The DOI witness is not yet determined.

RECENTLY INTRODUCED BILLS

H.R.2998
Title: To create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce
global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy.
Sponsor: Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] (introduced 6/23/2009)
Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 6/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status:
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the
Committees on Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Financial Services,
Education and Labor, Science and Technology, Transportation and
Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Oversight and Government
Reform, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

S.1311
Title: A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to expand
and strengthen cooperative efforts to monitor, restore, and protect the
resource productivity, water quality, and marine ecosystems of the Gulf of
Mexico.
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [MS] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read
twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.





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