John Larson: “I rise today in unfortunate opposition to the Conference Report on H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2003. After months…”

“I rise today in unfortunate opposition to the Conference Report on H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2003. After months of closed door deliberations between Majority Republicans in both chambers, the Conference Report is being rushed to the floor after being filed at 3 a.m. this morning. Additionally, in order to ensure that no one has an opportunity to actually read and examine the text of the Conference Report, the rule they are bringing it to the floor under waives the normal three-day layover requirement in the House Rules established to ensure Members and the public have the opportunity to review what should be the public business of any operating democracy. I remain concerned about many provisions that I understand are in the bill, some of which are provisions that were never considered by either legislative body in the House, and by the many provisions that were approved by both chambers and have mysteriously disappeared from the Conference Report. For example, the last minute inclusion of provisions that would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the sole authority over natural gas pipelines, would leave my home state of Connecticut powerless to stop construction of natural gas pipelines through Long Island Sound. These provisions are opposed by Governor Rowland and many other Connecticut State officials.”