Jeff Bingaman: “let me just recount the state of play and where we are. I have just spoken to my colleague, Senator Domenici. I advise…”

“let me just recount the state of play and where we are. I have just spoken to my colleague, Senator Domenici. I advise all Senators and their staffs we are still hung up on the two proposals that relate to requiring utilities to produce a larger amount of their energy from renewables. The amendment I offered, which is designated the renewable portfolio standard, requires 15 percent for renewable sources. The amendment offered on behalf of Senator Domenici, which has a different base against which it is applied--but it has a requirement of 20 percent against that different base and has a wider list of ways that people can meet that requirement, a wider set of options available--is a second-degree amendment to my amendment. It would be my hope that we could get a vote on both amendments today and move on to other items on the bill. This is a very important part of what we are trying to accomplish with this legislation, so I hope very much we can do that.”