House Dems strike a deal on energy
Posted: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 6:44 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Congress, Democrats, Mike Viqueira
From NBC's Mike Viqueira
The House is on course to take up the energy bill on Friday, after a deal was struck between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Colin Peterson.
The pair appeared late today at a presser to announce their agreement. Peterson had been an influential holdout as he sought the best possible deal for farmers.
Now, suddenly, the push is on for the energy bill, which many had originally given a smaller chance of passing than the ballyhooed health-care legislation.
Video: President Obama explains the benefits to his proposed clean energy bill by saying it will 'create a set of incentives that will spur the development of new sources of energy, including wind, solar, and geothermal power.'
Al Gore will appear tomorrow with Pelosi and other Dem potentates at 2:00 pm ET to rally for cameras.
So put down those actuarial tables you have been studying in preparation for the health-care debate, and dust off phrases like "cellulosic ethanol," "woody biomass," etc.
One other thing: The Democratic leadership is threatening to come in on Saturday to get this bill done if they have to. This is the last week before recess, and they don't want the deal to sit out there for a week.
