Joe Lieberman: “I commend Senators Domenici and Bingaman for their efforts in securing an energy bill that retains many features…”

“I commend Senators Domenici and Bingaman for their efforts in securing an energy bill that retains many features important to the Senate. Had I been present for the final vote on the Senate bill 1 month ago, a vote I missed because of the passing of my mother, I would have voted ``yes'' because I believed that the Senate bill took positive early steps toward development of a comprehensive energy policy, including an important initiative for renewable energy development. I consulted urgently with Senator Bingaman during the House-Senate Conference on an issue that was put before the conferees by the House that would have undermined the Clean Air Act and worsened air pollution in Connecticut and a number of other States. Senator Bingaman was able to keep that proposal out of the conference report and I thank him for that. I learned, through that bit of first-hand experience, how hard both Senator Domenici and Senator Bingaman worked to keep faith with the Senate in producing a conference report that reflected some of the Senate's chief concerns. For that I believe we owe them both a debt of gratitude. Senators Bingaman and Domenici are to be commended for recognizing the deep concerns that public officials across New England have about the LICAP proposal and for including a sense-of-the-Congress resolution in the bill directing FERC to reevaluate this proposal in light of their concerns.…”