The Oil Drum

Dear TOD readers - we have an opportunity to find out how legislative sausage is made and potentially contribute as a 'diner' with special requests to the Chefs (Members of Congress). If successful we might just get the meal (or at least better seasoning) we want instead of settling for what's dished out.

The Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce and Science Committee Energy Bills are the items on the ala carte menu that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rangell and Science Committee Chairman Bart Gordon will be negotiating with --- the big missing piece and player is Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall and H. R. 2337. The House will be debating the Energy bill this month and we need to get input where we have expertise and identify the good, bad and ugly provisions ideally by next week.

Speaker Pelosi strongly supports H.R. 2337 and there may be other blog reports about its contents. The GOP leadership and US Chamber of Commerce oppose the bill.

In addition to accumulating advice and analysis here, you can recommend your own Representative make specific improvements in the bill with changes to or deletions of specific provisions. Remember nothing new can be added but existing language/provisions can be changed. It's a daunting task. Those with expertise in specific areas should concentrate on those areas. Collective intelligence from great minds will be enormously helpful--we will be digesting this and sending it on to relevant staffers and House membership.