All eyes will be on the House Energy and Commerce Committee where Chairman Waxman will begin the mark up of the American Clean Energy and Security Act.  After weeks of negotiations with fellow Democrats on his committee, Chairman Waxman released a revised draft of the legislation on Friday.  The revamped bill would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020, create a 20% renewable electricity standard by 2020 and establish the first economy-wide, cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gasses at the national level.  Republicans, who did not participate in the negotiations, will likely oppose the reporting of the bill unanimously (Rep. Bono-Mack (R-CA) seems to be the only possible cross-over vote).  Democrats could lose as many as four votes, though that would not endanger its approval by the committee.  Republican Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX) has threatened to use parliamentary tactics to delay the bill’s approval.  Republicans are also threatening to offer hundreds of amendments to peel off wavering Democrats.  Assuming approval by the committee, the bill must still wind its way through numerous other committees with concurrent jurisdiction before proceeding to a vote on the House floor.

On Tuesday, May 19, starting at 9 a.m., the Senate Environment & Public Works committee will hold a hearing in Room 409 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building on “Business Opportunities and Climate Policy.”  Executives from Dupont, Trinity Industries, Sapphire Energy, Lange-Stegman, Coulomb Technologies, Inc., Hydro Green Energy, Imbue Technology Solutions, Inc. (ImbuTec) and BASF will testify.  That afternoon the Senate Foreign Relations committee will conduct a hearing on green global economic recovery at 2:15 p.m. in Room 419 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building.  A witness list is not available.

On Thursday, May 21, the House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing on “Heroes of Small Business” to hear testimony from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on regulatory issues impacting the domestic biofuels industry.  Representatives from the renewables industry and family farmers will testify in the hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. in Room 2360 of the Rayburn House Office Building.  Also that morning the House Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing on low-carbon fuels at 10:30 a.m. in Room 1300 of the Longworth House Office Building.

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