Pete Domenici: “I am sure this matter will take a little bit of time this afternoon, and from what we understand--I am not…”

“I am sure this matter will take a little bit of time this afternoon, and from what we understand--I am not assured--there may be one, maybe two, perhaps even three amendments. But this is an amendment that has been worked on by Republican and Democrat members of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Essentially, from the energy and natural resources bill it has the 8 billion gallons, but the rest of the language has been worked out with most of the jurisdiction going back to the Environment and Public Works Committee rather than the Energy Committee. Let me say I am pleased with the agreement, the improvement that is included in it. For that I am grateful to Chairman Inhofe and his staff. They have helped immeasurably. Senators Talent and Johnson and Feinstein and Cantwell have been very helpful during the Energy Committee considerations. Chairman Inhofe's assistance has been invaluable after we had done our work in our committee. We now have before us what I think is a very important amendment, one that helps us make a significant step forward in the development of a domestic renewable resource. This represents progress toward developing transport fuels made from domestic sources that can lessen dependence on foreign oil to meet our fuel needs. Congress has been working on the renewable fuel standard for nearly 6 years. I hope this will be the year that it passes.…”