Jeff Bingaman: “These are 13 recommendations that do not require legislation. These are all recommendations that I believe the President…”

“These are 13 recommendations that do not require legislation. These are all recommendations that I believe the President has full authority to implement and enact under current law. The purpose of my letter to him and this statement today in the Senate was to urge he do right now what can be done under existing law to help deal with these problems. As far as the energy bill is concerned, it is my view that if the majority leader wishes to bring the energy bill to the Senate floor and is willing to allow Senators to offer amendments, then we should certainly proceed in that way. I don't think it is realistic... to be requiring Democratic Senators to limit amendments at this stage since the bill that will be coming to the floor was written without the input of Democrat Senators.”